The Red Sox uncorked a modern record tying six wild pitches last night, but ultimately it wasn’t the reason for their 4-2 loss to the Twins, giving up 13 hits and five walks was probably more responsible.
Amalie Benjamin has a look at the wild night behind the plate for George Kottaras, who at times had to play the role of a hockey goalie. Michael Silverman has Daisuke Matsuzaka leading the charge with four wild pitches and sinking to 0-3 on the season. Daniel Barbarisi has the entire Red Sox staff getting Rick Ankiel disease.
Nick Cafardo says that Kottaras should not be blamed for the loss. Michael Silverman says that catching Tim Wakefield is easy compared to what Kottaras had to deal with last night. Barbarisi has the Kottaras-Matsuzaka battery setting records it would rather avoid last night.
Buddy Thomas says that David Ortiz might only cease to be a problem for the Red Sox when it is too late. McAdam also examines Jon Lester’s struggles. Barbarisi has Jacoby Ellsbury extending his hitting streak to 22 games. Mike Petraglia takes the reigns on fivethings.com aka weei.com.
Benjamin’s notebook has Jason Bay set to get a day off today. Silverman’s notebook has Jason Bay’s multi-run homer streak coming to an end. Barbarisi’s Red Sox journal has Kottaras with his hands full with Dice-K.
Patriots
All eyes will be on Foxboro today as the media gets a glimpse of Tom Brady and the Patriots taking part in their OTA’s.
Karen Guregian and John Tomase say that all eyes will be on Brady today. Mike Reiss wonders if Vince Wilfork will be in attendance, or if the massive nose tackle will sit out as a message in his (non-existent) contract talks with the Patriots. Reiss also says Brady will be the focus today.
Mark Farinella has the Patriots signing linebacker Paris Lenon. Christopher Price has more on Lenon. Rich Garven has backup QB Kevin O’Connell getting himself prepared to be Brady’s # 2. Adam Smartschan has five keys to the 2009 Patriots.
Michael Felger has his latest mailbag.
Fluto Shinzawa and Stephen Harris has the Jacobs family speaking about the Bruins season. Joe Haggerty also has a story.
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Ok, now that Jason Bay has gone a span of 6 games during which he’s recorded only four hits (one home run) and four walks, will the people that can’t help but copying Butch Stearns and Bill Burt please stop squawkingabout how they know more than Theo about the free agent market?
I’ve been wondering if they were proven wrong in the off-season, i.e. Bay resigns with the Sox, will they issue apologies to the rest of us for having listened to their shrieking and tortured logic?
Theo is good at everything not involving short stops. Just wanted to point that out…
…and right fielders
I’m so sick of shots like this taken at JD Drew. So far in his Red Sox career he has been exactly as advertised. I swear if he was only making $8-10M/year you wouldn’t hear a word about him. And where is Trot Nixon these days??
As big a disappointment as JD Drew has been, he’s still no where near as bad as the revolving door at shortstop. Aside from the Gonzalez and the half a season with Cabrera, it’s been a black hole…
Only Felger would think of taking on the humane society. What a rebel!
What Felger lacks in intelligence and insight, he apparently tries to make up for in originality. Clearly he’s struggling now to get noticed. Next up – potshots at George Washington.
“Anyone who owns a pitbull is an imbecile or a cretin.”
Are things really that boring in Felger’s life that he has to stir up dog lovers to get this Mail Bag Column moving?
Ladies and gentlemen, Boston sports reporting in a nutshell! Next week: his heroic take on how baby harp seals deserved to be clubbed.
I don’t care if he does have a right to his opinion. That’s completely lame.