A SPORTS BLOG

MLB POSTSEASON SCHEDULE

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:56:15 -0400

I am wary to post the following as superstition (a hazard encountered by those obsessed with the game) demands one be most careful with anything that could be seen as predicting the future.
So, Disclaimer: posting of the following in no way indicates I think the beloved Sox are a shoe-in for postseason play (even tho I so predicted well prior to the season). I am simply posting this information for those of you who care about such things.
Thus, here is the postseason schedule as recently announced by MLB. Note, they’ve moved up the playoffs this year to avoid going into November with the WS.
2011 MLB Postseason Schedule**
** subject to change

American League Division Series

ALDS Game One
Friday, September 30

ALDS Game Two
Saturday, October 1

ALDS Game Three
Monday, October 3

ALDS Game Four*
Tuesday, October 4

ALDS Game Five*
Thursday, October 6

National League Division Series

NLDS Game One
Saturday, October 1

NLDS Game Two
Sunday, October 2

NLDS Game Three
Tuesday, October 4

NLDS Game Four*
Wednesday, October 5

NLDS Game Five*
Friday, October 7

American League Championship Series

ALCS Game One
Saturday, October 8

ALCS Game Two
Sunday, October 9

ALCS Game Three
Tuesday, October 11

ALCS Game Four
Wednesday, October 12

ALCS Game Five*
Thursday, October 13

ALCS Game Six*
Saturday, October 15

ALCS Game Seven*
Sunday, October 16

National League Championship Series

NLCS Game One
Sunday, October 9

NLCS Game Two
Monday, October 10

NLCS Game Three
Wednesday, October 12

NLCS Game Four
Thursday, October 13

NLCS Game Five*
Friday, October 14

NLCS Game Six*
Sunday, October 16

NLCS Game Seven*
Monday, October 17

World Series

Game One
Wednesday, October 19
AL Champion at NL Champion

Game Two
Thursday, October 20
AL Champion at NL Champion

Game Three
Saturday, October 22
NL Champion at AL Champion

Game Four
Sunday, October 23
NL Champion at AL Champion

Game Five*
Monday, October 24
NL Champion at AL Champion

Game Six*
Wednesday, October 26
AL Champion at NL Champion

Game Seven*
Thursday, October 27
AL Champion at NL Champion

* if necessary

WHAT WE KNOW AT THE ALL STAR BREAK

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:02:06 -0400

JOIN ME FOR THE Os and SOX TUES., JULY 19

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 09:40:26 -0400

I have one seat available for free to join with O’s fan Nelson Romero and myself (Sox fan) for Tuesday night’s Orioles game agains the Sox in Camden Yards.

The seats are pretty good, about 15 rows behind home plate.

Thanx to the inability of my good New England cousin to separate work and play, this seat has just become available.

First person, no matter which team he/she favors, goes with Nelson and myself. While I’d prefer a Sox fan in order to give poor David Ortiz moral support when he has to face those horrid O’s pitchers, I will not discriminate.

First come, first serve.

Email me at Samesty84@aol.com or leave your request below..

CONTEST #2: AND THE WINNER IS...

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 09:17:28 -0400

In the 2011 MillersTime Baseball Contest # 2, fans were asked to identify which teams would be in first place at the All Star break.

After the first 90+ games, the following teams headed their Division at the break:

AL East - Red Sox by 1.5 over the Yankees
AL Central - Tigers by .5 over the Indians
AL West - Rangers by 1 over the Angels

NL East - Phillies by 3.5 over the Braves
NL Central - Brewers and Cards tied for first
NL West - Giants by 3 over the Diamondbacks

And as I write this post this morning, there is already movement in these standings as there have been changes in both the AL & NL Central Divisions.

But the contest asked for where things would stand at the All Star break.

Eighteen of you had four of the six correct.

Not good enough.

Five of you -- Peter Shimm, Todd Endo, Matt Galati, Nick Fels, and Greg Roper had five of the six correct.

Still not good enough.

Three wise MillersTime contestants had all six correct.

In alphabetical order, congrats to Tiffany Lopez, Nick Nyhart, and Matt Wax-Krell for getting it just right.

And the winner is.....

Nick Nyhart by dint of his earliest submission (Feb. 26, vs Mar. 18 for Matt and Mar. 29 for Tiffany).

This is Nick’s second win in the MillersTime contests.

Tiffany is a former winner.

And Matt has come in a close second on at least two occasions now.

Nick wins two tickets to any stadium (Fenway perhaps?) during the second half of the 2011 season. His previous win resulted in Monster seats earlier this year.

Let me know where and when you’d like to attend what game Nick.

FREE NATS’ TICKETS FOR JULY4 & 6 & SEPT. 2

Fri, 1 Jul 2011 09:03:54 -0400

I’ve got two, free good seats for July 4, 1;05 Nats game against the Cubs. If you are the first to get in touch with me by email - Samesty84@aol.com, by leaving a request in the Comments below, or by calling me (202-320-9501), the tickets are yours. I can leave them at the Will Call window for you to easily pick up.

I also have one free seat to join me for the game Wed., July 6 at 7:05 against the Cubs. These are great seats, four rows behind the Cubs dugout. Again, be the first to be in touch with me, and we’ll go together. And I’ll be glad to let the lucky one buy me a hot dog and a beer.

Finally, anyone interested in joining me for a Fri., Sept. 2 Mets game, let me know.

MILLERSTIME CONTEST #5: WE HAVE A WINNER

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 08:58:05 -0400

Everyone who saw his ‘prediction,’ including his mother who knows a good bit about the Red Sox, thought he was delusional.

Sox beating the Yanks eight out of nine games in the first half of 2011?

And for those who checked, six of those nine games were to be played in Yankee Stadium.

But young Jeff Friedman was so sure of his prediction that when the Sox were losing 0-2 in the ninth game the other night, he went to bed, sure that his heroes would come from behind to make his prediction come true, even tho Sabathia was mowing down the Sox in the early innings.

And when he awoke in the morning, indeed they had.

Jeff was the only contestant to predict an 8-1 margin. And he was so sure of himself that he didn’t even answer the tie-breaking question (number of runs scored by each team -- Sox out scored the Yunkees 60-37, including two shutouts).

So Jeff wins a ticket to attend a Yankee - Sox game in the second half of the season, but he does have to go with me. He’s requested one of the September games in Yankee Stadium, even tho he lives in Cambridge.

And I hope to so accommodate him.

After all, the last time we went to a game together in the ‘old’ Yankee Stadium, the Sox beat the Yankees 16-1 (or was it 17-1?)

Well played, J. Friedman.

PS -- Kudos to Peter Shimm, Tiffany Lopez, Steve Begleiter, Kevin Groob, Jere Smith, and Mike Martin -- all had the Sox winning 7-2.

REPORT FROM SECTION 203

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:44:34 -0400

For those of you who follow the really important things in life, you no doubt already know by now that the Red Sox swept the Yankees in three games this week in Yankee Stadium, knocking the ‘Bumbers’ out of first and taking a two game lead in the AL East, with the best record in the American League.

And this after starting the season 2-10 and the numerous articles about how no team ever fully recovers from such a start.

But what I thought I’d post here are my reactions to the three plus hours with the ‘Bleacher Creatures’ in Section 203 Tuesday night.

I wish I had some amazing, eye popping story to tell.

But alas, my penchant for my safety led to a relatively personal quiet evening.

Not so the dozen or so folks who the police hauled out of the section for their rowdy behavior, including two in handcuffs for fighting.

Backing up a bit, Section 203 (see pix below for a view from 203), where the Bleacher Creatures hang out, is known for how intensely these fans feel about their Yankees and how vocally they express that passion.

In the former Yankee Stadium, these guys were so ‘raucous’ that no beer was sold (allowed?) in this section. In the new stadium, beer vendors don’t/can’t? venture into the area, but the Creatures can purchase beer by just walking to the back of the section.

Not such a good idea for some of them.

The night always starts off as the first inning begins with a ball headed guy in sunglasses (Bald Vinny) leading the Creatures in the “Roll Call,” clapping and chanting the names of the starting team, one by one. Said players then acknowledge the chanting and roll call by waving (between pitches) or making some kind gesture to Section 203. (Click Here to see Bald Vinny in action.)

On this Tuesday night, Bald Vinny was just getting started when Sox lead off hitter Jacoby Ellsbury tagged one of the first few pitches right into Section 203, shocking the Creatures (tho not calming them appreciably).

I loved it.

Quietly.

In fact, because I have certain responsibilities back home (plus I’m a bit of a whimp when it comes to fisticuffs), I chose not to wear any Sox paraphernalia nor make too much of a spectacle of myself (tho I had checked to be sure my life insurance was paid up).

Before the end of the first inning, the Sox were ahead 3-0, and the Creatures were not happy.

They began to seek out Sox fans who were ‘brave’ enough to show their colors, and the taunting began, sometimes egged on by said Sox fans who seemed not to value their lives.

The police, strategically standing in front of the first rows, kept watchful eyes on the proceedings, but didn’t generally intervene until folks got especially obnoxious or physical. By the fifth inning, when the Sox were ahead 6-1 thanx to a home run by Ortiz, the Creatures were no longer enjoying themselves.

The only thing that seemed to bring them any pleasure was hurling vile insults at right fielder JD Drew (something about his mother and his manhood) and scouring the section for ‘Red Sox’ blood.

Yours truly just kept quiet, enjoying the lead and worrying that it wouldn’t hold.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees scored a run to close the gap to 6-3. A-Rod came to bat with two men on base and folks were remembering that once before in a similar situation he had tied the game against the Sox in the ninth with a home run.

Not this time.

Papelbon, who lives too much on the edge for yours truly, came through, striking out A-Rod and disappointing the Creatures.

But not moi.

And so called friend Kevin Curtin, who bought the tickets and brought me to Section 203, was once again on the hook for tickets -- for a game next year.

Thanx Sox.

Finally, although I’ve never been in the right field stands in Fenway (a poor substitute for Section 203 I suspect) when the Yankees are in town, I’m told the Sox fans can be pretty ugly.

My experience in 203, colored no doubt by the Sox victory, was actually pretty good. I liked the passion of the Creatures, tho I suspect while they excel in their enthusiasm for their team, they don’t seem quite as baseball knowledgeable as the folks in Fenway.

Probably something about the mentality of New Yorkers versus Bostonians?

SOX-YANKEES SERIES

Mon, 6 Jun 2011 08:14:16 -0400

For those of you who follow important events, you know the Sox lead the Yankees 5-1 in their six games played so far this year.

They play three more games this week, and I hope to be there for two of them.

I say ‘hope’ because even tho I have tickets for both Tuesday and Wednesday, the Tuesday tickets are in the Bleacher Creature section, 203, thanx to the generosity of my so called friend Kevin Curtin who promises not to defend me in case of attack (something about ‘the code.’).

Assuming survival, I’ll write a bit about the experience upon my return to DC (and after any hospital stay).

In the meantime, those of you who participated in the MillersTime 2011 Baseball Contests, here’s an update on Contest # 5 -- predict the split of the the nine Sox-Yankee games prior to the All Star break).

The Sox are currently leading 5-1, as most of you predicted (except for the 11 foolish ones who thought the Yankees would at least win five of the nine).

There are 24 wise men and women who are still in the running, most of whom predicted a 5-4 split in favor of the Sox. I am hoping you are all wrong, and that I get to see at least one Sox victory this week in Yankee Stadium.

Todd Endo and Gregory Rober picked a 6-3 Sox split, and Peter Shimm, Tiffany Lopez, Steve Begleiter, Kevin Groob, Jere Smith, and Mike Martin all have the Sox winning 7-2.

I certainly hope it ends with a tie between the 7-2 folks, in which case the tie-breaker, how many run each team scored, will determine the winner.

Even better, maybe it will end up 8-1, which no one picked, and then I won’t have to come up with the promised prize: a ticket to a Sox-Yankee game in the second half of the season this year (avec moi).

Hoping for at least one win, would be quite happy with two, and totally delighted with three.

Please help if you can.

Update: 6/6-9:29 AM - Thanx to the alert J. Friedman, I need to correct an error above. J. Friedman did, in fact, predict the Sox would take the series, 8-1. How pleased I would be to take him to a Sox-Yankee as his prize for his prediction.

JOIN ME AT YANKEE STADIUM FOR A SOX GAME

Sat, 21 May 2011 07:50:58 -0400

Assuming I survive the Tuesday, June 7th Sox-Yankee game where my so called friend Kevin Curtin has ‘kindly’ purchased tickets for himself and me to introduce me to the Bleacher Creatures, I will return to Yankee Stadium Wednesday, June 8 to more accommodating seats (thanx to Andrew Rasiej).

And since my NYC daughter has (wisely?) sworn off going to Yankee Stadium, I find myself with a free ticket.

If you’d like to join me for the June 8 game, be the first to contact me, either by email (Samesty84@aol.com) or by cell.

You don’t have to be a Sox fan, tho having an ally would be comforting.

Anyway, first to contact gets it.

PS - Any advice on how to conduct myself admist those crazy bleacher wackos in Yankee Stadium? (If you don’t know much about the Bleacher Creatures, read this report from a Seattle reporter - Click Here.)

TRUTH REVEALED: WHY THE SOX ARE WINNING

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 11:20:28 -0400

So what's the real reason the Sox have turned it around and are currently the hottest team in baseball?

Is it, as most sports writers, bloggers, and fans believe, because of the starting pitching -- 0.88 earned run average over the last nine games when the Sox have gone 8-1?

Is it because Varitek has been catching more and settling the starting pitchers down? Sox are 6-2 (.750) when he’s behind the plate.

How important has the bullpen been with Pap and Byrd now leading the way in that department?

Or is it because the hitting has picked up and everyone -- except for Saltalamachia, Varitek, and Crawford -- is now hitting above .200 (but still below .300 -- except for Lowrie’s .431)?

Or more specifically is it because Youk, Ellsbury, Gonzales, and sub-soon-to-be-starter Lowrie are coming alive?

And tho it hasn’t gotten much press, the fielding has been excellent. They’re tied with the Brewers, leading the Majors with a fielding percentage of .991, having made only made seven errors.

While these are all important factors, particularly the turnaround of the starting pitchers, MillersTime can now reveal the most important factor:

Yours truly, accompanied by old (as in long time) friends Barbara Friedman and Nick Nyhart and new friend Chris Boutourline, went to Fenway on Sunday, April 17 to check up on what was happening and straighten out the problems.

Since that afternoon, including the 8-1 win that day, the Sox are 7-1 and now are just one game shy of .500 (as opposed to being 3-10 prior to our 'intervention').

We sat in the Monster seats and encouraged Crawford and Ellsbury to pick up their game (they were the only players who could directly hear us).

We also told the fans to calm down (those who hadn't already taken sharp knives to their person or jumped from high places).

But mostly we just sent good vibes to the team from our perch in the second row above the wall.

Incidentally, if you've never had the opportunity to sit in those seats, consider adding it to your 'bucket' list.

You probably wouldn't want to give up your tickets closer to the action, but you do get a wonderful perspective of the entire field (the outfield looks huge), you can see the ball going over the plate clearly, and you can follow how each play develops and ends (except for balls hit against/near the wall).

The seats are reasonably comfortable, and whether you pay $35 for standing room only (and then sneak into vacant seats) or the full $165, imho (in my humble opinion), it is money well spent (especially if they win).

PS - I did send surrogates to try to turn things around earlier in the season when the Sox were 1-7. Lynn Shilling (no relation to Himself) and his son and long time fan Gregory Rober attended the Beckett gem when the Sox beat the Yankees April 10th, 4-0. But somehow the surrogates failed to get the word to the entire team to continue along those lines.

PPS - Click Here to see Gregory Rober’s email following that Sunday game. He also reminisces about the Sox when...

PPPS - Memo to Tito, Theo, John, et al: Let me know if you need our help again.

DON’T EAT THE FOOD IN THESE STADIUMS

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 08:38:21 -0400

So as of this morning (4/20/11) my Sox have the worst record in the American League (and if they had played and lost one more game, they’d be tied with the Mets for the worst record in the Majors).

The Yankees, on the other hand, lead the AL East and have one of the better records in the Majors (so far), and Rays are not far behind.

But, as your ‘trusty’ Go Sox blogger, I feel it is my duty to warn you of the following:

Don’t eat the food in either Yankee Stadium or Tropicana Field, unless you want to risk eating food “subject to contamination and cross-contamination” and prepared amidst “multiple signs of vermin.”

And in Fenway? No problem.

According to a recent article in Business Insider (Click Here), eating in many of the major league stadiums exposes you to some serious food safety violations.

In sum, you can eat in Rogers Stadium (Toronto Blue Jays) and know there have been no food inspection violations and only minor ones if you’re attending Rangers, Braves, or Indian games.

Fenway Park seems pretty safe as there was only one major and three minor violations there.

But especially if you’re one of the few fans watching Rays games these days, my advice would be to bring your own food as they had 217 critical violations.

I’ve made a chart (Click Here) based on the info from the Business Insider article so you can see where your team ranks in the food danger category.

(The Cubs, White Sox, Twins, and Tigers are not rated because of lack of information. In the case of the two Chicago teams, no inspections take place unless there is a complaint).

(Nationals Park in DC was cited for 18 critical violations and 24 minor ones; so be careful there too.)

JOIN ME AT FENWAY: MONSTER SEATS

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:01:24 -0400

Is it true that the best/most desired seats in base ball (proper spelling) are the Monster Seats in Fenway?

That’s what a fan poll in USA Today concluded when they asked the question, “If you could sit anywhere at any ballpark in the major leagues, where would it be?” (Click Here).

Now you have a chance to judge for yourself.

If you want to join me, at no cost to you,* other than having to spend the afternoon with me and perhaps buying me a Fenway frank, I have one ticket available for Sunday afternoon, April 17 in the Monster Seats.

Game is against Toronto at 1:35.

First one to email me at Samesty84@aol.com wins.

I said there would be other opportunities.

(*I wouldn’t mind if you decided to write a posting for the
Go Sox blog after attending, however.)

THE ‘WISDOM’ OF THE ‘MASSES’: THE 2011 PREDICTIONS BY MILLERSTIME CONTESTANTS

Mon, 4 Apr 2011 11:36:13 -0400

Well, the long winter is mostly just a memory, and life has returned with the opening of base ball (the way it use to be spelled).

I noticed this morning that almost every team (including the Os and the Nats) having a better record than the Red Sox after the first three games, and email, sports blogs, and various ‘social media accounts’ are filled with chatter about this terrible/wonderful (take your pick) ‘turn’ of events.

But at least we no longer have to guess at what this season will bring.

Just open to the sports’ section of your local paper (or however you get your base ball news), and you can see what these brave and heroic men are actually doing.

Do remember that the season is only three games old, leaving every team with 159 games yet to play.

As far as the ‘wisdom’ of those who entered the 2011 MillersTime Baseball contests, here are some ‘predictions.’

*The Washington Nationals will improve this year to a season record of 71-91.

*The Phillies and Red Sox will be in the World Series.

*The Red Sox will best the Phillies. (Sox got 18 votes. Phillies got 12. None of other teams - 10 were mentioned - got more than one vote.)

*And some of the individual predictions for the 2011 season:

- Phillies with have the best record in baseball
- Pujols will win the triple crown and make the Cards look silly for not giving him 10 years @$300 million as he walks away and gets it from the Cubs
- Nats will end up fourth in NL East ahead of the Marlins
- Crawford and A. Gonzales will not live up to the impossible expectations while Cano hits 35 HRs and has 140 RBIs
- Halliday wins WS MVP
- O’s biggest improvement from 66-96 to 96-66 just enough to win AL East
- Braves have more 16 game winners than the Phillies
- Neither the Phillies nor the Sox will be in the WS
- Zack Greinke wins 20
- Six no hitters in regular season and two additional perfect games
- Jon Lester wins 22 games
- Most pitching victories in each league – Linthicum and Sabathia
- Steve Strasburg will start one game before the end of the season
- Baseball returns as the American Pastime as NFL season is cancelled because of the players’ strike
- A-Gon will have more HR and a high BA than A-Rod who will have more RBIs
- Joe Mauer will win AL MVP
- Buchholz ERA will be up at least a full point (or more) from 2.33 in 2010.
- At least one team will claim it lost the race for the playoffs because of illness (flu), probably Atlanta.
- Mets exceed low expectations and come out top in NL East.
- Rays will shock any by winning AL East for the 2nd year in a row and three out of last four years
- Marlins will make the biggest turn around
- Nats’ Livan Hernandez will throw a no hitter
- Big Papi will hit his age in HRs – 35
- Most improved team in batting (runs) – St. Louis
- A-Rod – MVP and CC Sabathia – Cy Young
- O’s will not be in the cellar in AL East
- Astros continue their slide in AL Central – 70-92. McLane will make wholesale changes
- Manny Ramirez – 30 dingers and named comeback player of the year despite what outlandish things he does in August
- Yankees-Phillies WS
- Diamondbacks worst record of any team
- Jason Varitek will start at least half of the games
- Ellsbury and Crawford – all time stolen bases in a season
- Jason Werth will hit over .300
- Phillies miss playoffs because pitching won’t overcome aging line up
- Buchholz wins Cy Young
- Sox win the WS
- Os do better than the Nats
- Josh Johnson wins NL Cy Young
- Jason Werth fizzles for the Nats
- Giambi wins batting title by 15 points
- Jeter has one last monster year before fading into obscurity, hits .320+, getting himself a big multi-year contract (ill-advised as it is), gets hurt in the 2011 playoffs
- Twins beat Reds in 7 in WS

And two more:

- Sox – 101-61, Yankess – 85-77. Sox starting pitching will be the difference, A-Rod dating all three Kardahian sisters at once – Chole will go postal and murder him and her two sisters, Red Sox payroll will be $200 mil/yr, Yankees 22 mil/yr

- from across the ponder DP:

“My main prediction for the 2011 Baseball season will be the continued decline (despite the fans insatiable optimism & expectation) of the Boston Red Sox. It may be true that for this year only, the superior New York Yankees may face a troubled season due to internal financial disputes, player injury (Cameron D is doing our legendary 3rd baseman's hip no good whatsoever!) and a lack of precise pitching, but the Sox will, predictably, sink when the going gets tough. I confidently predict they won’t even make the post season.

“In my humble 'outsiders' (I didn't want to say English) opinion there seems to be an over-hyped view of sports teams from the New England area of the US and dare I say, its close neighbor, Massachusetts. We hear it every year that 'This is the time for Tom Brady or Josh Beckett to shine,' but they repeatedly do not. They 'flatter to deceive' and almost systematically create excuses for why they lose ("Coach I wasn't in my zone to throw the ball properly") which no-body outside of the comfort zone that is Fenway Park believes. 'Man-up' Boston. Move on and look to the future which I am sure will be the topic of discussion for the next few years at Yankee stadium. All of our 'good' players are getting old & will retire soon. The Yankee Wonder Kinder ain’t that good which is worrying; so could we soon see a slump equal to that of the 80's? I think so.”

* * *

And a reminder that if more than one of these ‘predictions’ for 2011 should come to pass, I’ll put the decision up to a vote of the MillersTime/Go Sox readers for which deserves the prize – two tickets to a game in any stadium in either league next year.

Finally, if you wish to see all (or most) of the contest entries for this year, you can Click Here.

LAST CALL TO ENTER 2011 BASEBALL CONTESTS

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:37:34 -0400

Since none of you are still alive in the March Madness contests (only two folks out of almost six million have all four of the final teams in their draw), you might as well turn your prognosticating to the sport that really matters.

Your picks are due to me by 1:05 PM, this Thursday, March 31.

Contest # 1:

Make a prediction about the 2011 baseball season. Your prediction could be about an individual player, a specific team, a two team match up, who will improve the most, decline the most, win an individual title, throw a no hitter, or whatever ‘strikes’ you. When the season ends, I’ll take whatever predictions came true (or close to true), and let everyone who participated in the 2011 contests vote on which prediction is best and deserves the prize.

Prize: Two tickets to a game in any stadium in either league next year. (I will do my best to get the specific game you wish but only promise the stadium you choose)

Contest #2:

Last year the Washington Nationals improved their season record to 69-93 over the previous year’s 59-103. Predict whether they do better or worse this year? Tie-Breaker: what will their season record be for 2011?

Prize: Two tickets to a 2012 Nats game of your choice. Seats hopefully will be four rows behind the visitors’ dugout.

Contest # 3:

At the All-Star break, Predict which teams will be leading in each division?

AL East
AL Central
AL West

NL East
NL Central
NL West

Prize: Two seats for a game in any stadium of your choice for 2012.

Contest # 4:

MLB Teams play 162 games during the regular season. In 2009 the Yankees were 103-59, and the Sox were 95-67. And last year the Yanks won eight fewer game (95-67, 2nd place), and the Sox fell to 89-73 and third place. (Thanx to Rob H. for catching my error).

Predict the regular season won-loss records for both teams in 2011.
Tie-breaker: What will be the main reason the Yankees or Sox have the better record – pitching, hitting, defense, managing, who A-Rod is dating, how much money the team spent on players, etc.?

Prize: Two tickets to one game of either the American League or National League Divisional playoffs this year. Winner’s choice.

Contest # 5:

The Red Sox and Yankees play nine of their 18 scheduled games before the All Star break July 11.

Predict the won-loss record of these nine games (i.e., Sox-6-3 or Yankees 3-6, etc.).
Tie-breaker: Pick total number of runs each team will score over the nine games.

Prize: One ticket to one Red-Sox-Yankee game in the second half of this year’s season (following the All Star break). Site of the game will be dependent upon which park I am able to get tickets. Most likely, I will attend the game with the winner (assuming I am on speaking terms with the said person).

Contest # 6:

Pick the World Series winner for 2011.
Tie-breaker: Pick the two teams playing in the World Series.

Prize: Two tickets to one 2012 World Series game.

Update: 2/5: Send your picks to me at Samesty84@gmail.com before 1:05 (ET), March 31, Opening Day. Be sure to include your tie-breaking picks. And you don’t have to participate in all six contests.

ATTENTION SOX & YANKEE FANS: TICKETS TO FENWAY

Wed, 2 Mar 2011 10:10:26 -0500

Here’s a deal for someone who slogs through MillersTime/Go Sox, and you don’t even have to be a Sox or Yankee fan:

I have three tickets to a Sunday night, April 10 game between the Sox and the Yankees in Fenway.

Good seats, between home and third, Section 24, Row 13, Seats 14-16.

Since I am not going to be able to use the seats, I thought I’d offer them to either Sox,Yankee, or just fans who regularly, sometimes, occasionally, once (have) read my Go Sox blog.

I wouldn’t mind recovering the face value of the tickets ($55) each, but I could easily be persuaded because of your present and/or future loyalty to this site to just pass the tickets on to you.

Maybe in place of reimbursing me for the tickets, you would write a posting about your evening at Fenway for Go Sox.

Let me know if you are interested and how many of the three you would like.

First to contact me...no matter your team preference.

Samesty84@gmail.com

(PS -Don’t forget about getting your picks in for the 2011 MillersTime Baseball Contests. Click Here.)

OLD HOSS RADBOURN: 59 WINS IN ONE SEASON

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 10:20:45 -0500

How swiftly grows the laurel in Fame’s glades;
But not as swiftly as the laurel fades;
The World remembers while they rule - and then
The World remembers some one else again;

Sweeney and Radbourne. . .
Or all the rest who one day ruled supreme
Within the borders of a golden dream,
Who held their day beneath the olive bough -
Where are they now?

-Grantland Rice, syndicated columnist, 1915

While you’re awaiting Opening Day (and after you’ve submitted your 2011 MillersTime Baseball Contest picks – click here), I’ve got something for you.

Thanx to an email and posting of a MillersTime reader, Peter Shimm, I added Edward Achorn’s Fifty-nine in ’84: Old Hoss Radbourn, Barehanded Baseball , and the Greatest Season a Pitcher Ever Had to my reading list and have just finished it.

It definitely belongs on your bookshelf (or in your e-reader).

And if, like me, you never heard of “Old Hoss” (named that because his team worked him like an old horse?), you’re in for a treat.

Even if you know of him, the biography is worth your time for its descriptions/tales of Radbourn, what base ball (that’s how it was spelled then) use to be, and of the characters that are now largely forgotten.

Achorn’s biography tells the story of the Providence Gray’s pitcher Charlie Gardner Radbourn and particularly of his performance in 1884, the year in which he won fifty-nine (yes, 59) games.

And that was in a season when his team played only 114 games, not including numerous exhibition games throughout the season.

In the 1884 season, his record was 59-12 (or 60-12 according to some sources as there’s some dispute whether he should have been credited with a save or a victory in one game). He pitched in 75 games, starting and completing 73 of them.

Radbourn won the NL ‘Triple Crown’ in 1884 with an ERA of 1.38, striking out 441 batters, and pitching 678 2/3 innings.

How is it possible, you ask, when today if a pitcher wins 20 games (one-third of what Old Hoss accomplished), strikes out 200 batters, or pitches more than 200 innings, then he is considered a shoe-in for the Cy Young award?

It must be that the game was very different back then?

Well, yes and no.

This was a time when a team would only have a couple of pitchers and when the expectation was for a pitcher to finish any game he started.

And it was not unusual for a pitcher to pitch four times a week. At one point in 1884, between July 23 and Sept. 24, Providence played 43 games, and Radbourn started 40 of them, winning 36, including pitching 20 consecutive games. And that was against strong competition (Providence battled the Boston’s Beaneaters for the pennant that year).

Pitchers pitched under handed, side armed, and finally over hand from a pitcher’s “box,” and they played barehanded (tho I think the catcher had some thin gloves, but nothing like a catcher’s mitt).

So in some ways the game was different, but in many ways much of what you read about Radbourn and his teammate and hated rival Charles Sweeney (another one baseball’s best pitchers about whom you may not know) will sound familiar – changing speeds, locations, type of pitch, importance of control, keeping a batter off balance, etc.).

But don’t waste any more time reading this posting.

Do yourself a favor and read Edward Achorn’s 2010 Fifty-nine in ’84: Old Hoss Radbourn, Barehanded Baseball , and the Greatest Season a Pitcher Ever Had.

* * *

(Note: For those of you who use Twitter, there is an individual (@OldHossRadbourn) who tweets under the name of the pitcher and looks askance at some of the players and antics of today.

A recent tweet: OldHossRadbourn: Red Sox 1B A. Gonzalez hit off a tee this morning. Coming up this afternoon: some knitting, a tofu salad, tea w the gals.)

SINGLE, DOUBLE, TRIPLE, HOME RUN APP ALERT

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 08:51:38 -0500

OK baseball fans. Spring training is underway, but how many articles can you read about your favorite teams?

A lot, if you’re like me.

But thanx to a heads-up from the ever alert Millers Time Apps for Everyone blogger Larry Makinson, if you own an iPad, you’ve got a wonderful treat in store for you while you await opening day or during rain delays once the season starts.

For a mere $4.99, you have hours of entertainment and ‘baseball education’ ahead of you.

Pennant, a just released App, is a must see, and probably a must buy for those of you who can’t get enough of baseball. It’s an interactive history of every team, every game, every play from 1951 through 2010.

For example, did you attend say the fourth game of the 2004 World Series between the Red Sox and Cards? Do you want to remind yourself of exactly what happened throughout the entire game?

Or what about the first major league game you ever attended in a ballpark? If your memory is getting as fuzzy as mine, a refresher about what happened in that game is at your fingertips, batter by batter, etc.

But rather than my telling you all of the features of Pennant, do yourself a favor and go to their website and watch the 2:59 minute video about the App.

Then go to the iTunes app store and plunk down your $4.99. And enjoy.

And if you think I am overstating the pleasure you’ll get out of Pennant, let me know, and I’ll refund your $4.99. (Disclaimer, I have no stake in Pennant and receive no benefit from your purchase of the App. It’s not perfect and no doubt will be improved upon in the months ahead, but hey, it is better than reading the same articles over and over while we’re awaiting Mar. 31).

To see the video promo about Pennant, Click Here.

SAWX WILL WIN AT LEAST 100 GAMES THIS YEAR

Mon, 7 Feb 2011 12:19:02 -0500

Caveat Emptor:

So last year I said the Sox would win 100 games and make the playoffs (Click Here).

They ended the season 89-73 and ended in third place in the AL East, seven games behind the Rays and six games behind the Yanks.

Now I have quite solid reasons to defend (make excuses for) those predictions – no team that loses 55% of its starting lineup for half of the season can possibly win 100 games, etc., – but predictions are predictions and excuses don’t count.

* * * *

So whaddabout 2011?

Sox will win at least 100 games and win the AL East.

The Orioles and Blue Jays (both much improved teams) will fight the Rays and Yankees (both weakened this year) for a shot at the wild card.

Despite all the winter hype about the Sox being a shoe-in this year, there are a number of serious questions yet to be answered:

* Is Beckett declining or can he regain his previous dominance?
* Will Lackey perform better than last year?
* Will Dice-K continue to be a ‘loose cannon’?
* Will the 2010 injuries to Pedroia, Ellsbury, Youklis, Scutaro, Beckett, Varitek, etc. continue to haunt or will they all be resolved? Include Gonzales in that list.
* Will Papelbon have another less than stellar year?
* Will Crawford and Gonzales perform as well as all the expectations set for them?
* Will Ortiz’s early season troubles from the last two years increase?
* And will the catching situation (and the loss of Martinez) haunt the Sox?

Those are a lot of legitimate questions and lots of reasons to question my 2011 prediction of the Sox winning 100 games.

A less obsessed Sox fan (oxymoron) might want hedge his/her predictions accordingly.

But I stand by my prediction and will not use any of the above reasons to mitigate my shame if the Sox don’t win at least 100 games this year.

Pitching is good and could be terrific.

Bullpen is strong

Hitting is strong.

Fielding is strong.

Running is strong.

Coaching is strong.

I think the Sox have a chance to win every game they play (that doesn’t mean they will, just that they should be competitive every time they take the field).

Following them this year should bring many evenings of pleasure, and no doubt tension too. And as I wrote in an earlier posting (Click Here), I think the 162 games are more important than the playoffs.

At least until and if we get to the playoffs

What say you?

2011 MILLERSTIME BASEBALL CONTESTS

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 09:31:36 -0500

Now that the Hot Stove League ‘season’ is coming to an end and even though that last football game is yet to be played, here are the 2011 MillersTime Baseball contests.

It may be a bit early for some of you to focus on the best seven months of the year, but remember, in case of a tie on any contest, the individual who submitted his/her predictions first will be the winner.

Also, be sure you include your Tie-Breaker prediction as most of the contests last year were decided by the Tie-Breakers.

Contest # 1:

Make a prediction about the 2011 baseball season. Your prediction could be about an individual player, a specific team, a two team match up, who will improve the most, decline the most, win an individual title, throw a no hitter, or whatever ‘strikes’ you. When the season ends, I’ll take whatever predictions came true (or close to true), and let everyone who participated in the 2011 contests vote on which prediction is best and deserves the prize.

Prize: Two tickets to a game in any stadium in either league next year. (I will do my best to get the specific game you wish but only promise the stadium you choose)

Contest #2:

Last year the Washington Nationals improved their season record to 69-93 over the previous year’s 59-103. Predict whether they do better or worse this year? Tie-Breaker: what will their season record be for 2011?

Prize: Two tickets to a 2012 Nats game of your choice. Seats hopefully will be four rows behind the visitors’ dugout.

Contest # 3:

At the All-Star break, Predict which teams will be leading in each division?

AL East
AL Central
AL West

NL East
NL Central
NL West

Prize: Two seats for a game in any stadium of your choice for 2012.

Contest # 4:

MLB Teams play 162 games during the regular season. In 2009 the Yankees were 103-59, and the Sox were 95-67. And last year the Yanks won eight fewer game (95-67, 2nd place), and the Sox fell to 89-73 and third place. (Thanx to Rob H. for catching my error).

Predict the regular season won-loss records for both teams in 2011.
Tie-breaker: What will be the main reason the Yankees or Sox have the better record – pitching, hitting, defense, managing, who A-Rod is dating, how much money the team spent on players, etc.?

Prize: Two tickets to one game of either the American League or National League Divisional playoffs this year. Winner’s choice.

Contest # 5:

The Red Sox and Yankees play nine of their 18 scheduled games before the All Star break July 11.

Predict the won-loss record of these nine games (i.e., Sox-6-3 or Yankees 3-6, etc.).
Tie-breaker: Pick total number of runs each team will score over the nine games.

Prize: One ticket to one Red-Sox-Yankee game in the second half of this year’s season (following the All Star break). Site of the game will be dependent upon which park I am able to get tickets. Most likely, I will attend the game with the winner (assuming I am on speaking terms with the said person).

Contest # 6:

Pick the World Series winner for 2011.
Tie-breaker: Pick the two teams playing in the World Series.

Prize: Two tickets to one 2012 World Series game.

Update: 2/5: Send your picks to me at Samesty84@gmail.com before 1:05 (ET), March 31, Opening Day. And you don’t have to participate in all six contests.

2011 IS NOT ABOUT THE WORLD SERIES

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:50:49 -0500

Even though the Hot Stove League has not concluded, I have come to some conclusions:

First and foremost, I think 2011 for me is not about getting to and winning the World Series. What the Sox have done with their acquisitions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzales, to go along with Pedroia, Youklis, Ortiz, Ellsbury, Lester, Buchholz, Beckett, Bard, etc., is to make it so I can watch all of their 162 games (much to the chagrin of my wife Ellen) with the knowledge that the Sox will have a chance to win every game. Barring the injury disaster that happened in 2010, it seems to me their strong pitching, good hitting, good defense, speed, and good managing will make them capable of winning more than 100 games.

Second, I don’t think the Phillies should print their World Series tickets just yet. While the (re)addition of Lee makes their pitching a manager’s delight (nightmare if it’s the opposing manager), remember what the Giants and the Rangers did this year with much less talent on the mound.

Third, while on the subject of Lee, I don’t think he needs so much praise for leaving $30 odd million dollars on the table. His statement that “enough is enough sometimes” is probably not a hard thing to say when the ‘enough’ is $120 million.

Also, while Lee would have made the Sox life more difficult had he gone to NY, that is not why I am glad he went to Philly. It is nice to see a player decide that where he plays is more important than how much he can make. I’ve thought for a long time that players are often mislead by the highest offers and by their agents when they make money the most important factor in deciding where they will play.

Fifth, The Nats are nuts to pay Jason Werth $126 million for seven years. He may be one of the better free agents available this year, but he is not a game-changing player, and I suspect they could have gotten him for less, leaving money for some other talent.

Sixth, back to the Sox, it seems to me that unlike the last few years, their acquisitions this winter are likely to make them contenders for the next four or five years and are not just about what will happen in 2011. They will have time for their younger players (minor leaguers) to develop now, and their needs for the next few years are most likely to be more minor adjustments and not major rebuilding efforts.

And to return to my opening conclusion: The excitement of knowing that the Sox have put themselves in a position to make every game they play a chance at a victory is truly an exciting prospect.

Will they get to the playoffs and World Series?

I suspect they will make the playoffs.

The World Series?

Despite 2004 and 2007, I have been schooled by 60 years of following Boston. And so I know the folly of making winning the WS the goal of a baseball season.

Yet, if it comes down to the Phillies vs the Sox, I suppose I could be convinced to watch those games too.