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While We’re Young (Ideas) – June 27

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – If there’s one thing the Boston Red Sox organization does better than any other franchise in sports, it’s the pregame ceremony and tribute. With things returning to a post-pandemic normal in the Fens, the Red Sox got back to business with a well-deserved tribute to the career of retired team captain and MVP second baseman Dustin Pedroia.

During recent years, the Red Sox franchise has lived the highs and lows of life in Boston. They’ve hit the high notes when they paid tribute to the likes of David “Big Papi” Ortiz and they’ve grieved with the community, helped victims of the Boston Marathon bombing mourn and strengthen their resolve through the very memorial services right on the baseball field.

It might sound “cliche” but the Red Sox bind the fabric of greater New England like few other sports franchises. The Sox share that honor and responsibility with the NFL Patriots, the NBA Celtics and the NHL’s Bruins in amazing fashion. Yes, like franchises elsewhere, the civic pride surfaces much more when the teams are winning but, in New England, winning became habitual, especially since the year 2000.

Since that turn of the century, Boston sports franchises won 12 tittles. The Patriots claimed an amazing six Super Bowl victories with Tom Bradyleading the way for wins in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2016 and 2018. The Red Sox won in 2004, 2007, 2013, 2018 while the Celtics took the NBA title in 2008 and the Bruins won the NHL’s Stanley Cup in 2011 with near misses against the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013 and a heart-breaking loss to the St. Louis Blues in 2019.

For each of the winners, the Boston faithful rallied around one, or maybe two, players to guide the team towards a highly demanding excellence. As noted, Brady led the Patriots who marched to the drum beat of team GM and coach Bill Belichick. The Celtics lifted the NBA’s Larry O’Brien Trophy in ‘08 and competed mightily for a number of others while Paul Pierce led the way in scoring and Kevin Garnett set a new standard in the Cs locker room. For the Bruins, team captain Zdeno Chara set the tone while his defensive partner, Dennis Seidenberg, personified team building and the atmosphere in the Bruins’ dressing room. As with all winning ice hockey teams, they all rallied around their goalkeepers, as in two-time Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas(2009 and 2011) and 2014 Vezina winner Tuukka Rask.

On the baseball diamond, it was Pedroia who led the Red Sox. While Ortiz provided the power, the pitching staff – both starters and relievers – stepped-up in a big way with Jon Lester, Jake Peavy and John Lackey in 2013 and the 11-man crew, led by David Price and Chris Sale got the job done in 2018, it was the leadership of Pedroia that provided team strength and chemistry, especially through adversity.

And, adversity might as well be Pedroia’s middle name from 2016-17-18 (played only three MLB games in ‘18) to 2019 (played only six MLB games) when he suffered severe left knee injuries and underwent multiple surgeries. Pedroia went from a career high 160 games played and an amazing and league-leading 724 plate appearances in 2013 to three games and 13 at bats in the 2018 season.

After fighting through evaluations, rehabilitation, set-backs and even total rest to heal his sore knee, Pedroia finally announced his retirement from the Red Sox and the majors this past February 1st, ending his 14-year MLB career. Unlike Tom Brady and Zdeno Chara, (and recently golf’s Phil Mickelson), Dustin Pedroia put another “W” in Father Time’s win column.

The Red Sox Friday night tribute and the way the sport of baseball can do like no other, reminded us of all that was good when Pedroia was playing at his Rookie of the Year (2007) and MVP levels (1st in 2008, 9th in 2011 and 7th in 2013). The tribute and video messages Brough the tough-minded Pedroia to tears, as did the “in-person” appearances of many of his former teammates.

With his family looking on, the Red Sox made special mention of the many charity activities Pedroia supported throughout his career and even brought the specific family members he helped during the marathon crisis. The ceremony was classy, succinct and poignant and Pedroia’s speech concise, meaningful and memorable.

The Red Sox invited marathon victim Jane Richard (who lost her young brother Martin and her leg from the bomb explosion in 2013) to sign the National Anthem and then had Pedroia toss a ceremonial first pitch to his former teammate and now Red Sox Manager Alex Cora.

It was also announced that the Sox will waive the customary waiting period and will induct Pedroia to the club’s Hall of Fame this year. … Only the surprise appearance of wrestling great Ric Flair – one of Pedroia’s all-time favorite celebrity athletes – could put an exclamation point on the tribute and, indeed, it did.

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HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The likes of Dustin Pedroia, Tom Brady, Zdeno Chara and many of the other Boston greats who captained and led their teams to victory calls for a non-comprehensive listing of some other sports icons who were the rallying point for their title teams. Here are a few that come to mind:

  • Lou Gehrig, New York Yankees
  • Jackie Robison, Brooklyn Dodgers
  • Bill Russell, Boston Celtics
  • Maurice “Rocket” Richard, Montreal Canadiens
  • Willis Reed, New York Knicks
  • Jean Béliveau, Montreal Canadiens
  • Franz Beckenbauer, Bayern Munich/Team Germany
  • Stan Mikita, Chicago Blackhawks
  • Tug McGraw, New York Mets
  • Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh Pirates
  • Jack Lambert, Pittsburgh Steelers
  • Thurman Munson, New York Yankees
  • Mike Eruzione, 1980 Team USA Hockey
  • Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers
  • John Elway, Denver Broncos
  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers
  • Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche
  • Lawrence Taylor, New York Giants
  • Mia Hamm, Team USA
  • Denis Potvin, New York Islanders
  • Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons
  • Mark Messier, New York Rangers
  • Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens
  • Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings
  • Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
  • Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
  • Sue Bird, Seattle Storm and Team USA
  • Christian Laettner, Duke University
  • Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts/Denver Broncos
  • Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
  • Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
  • Simone Biles, Team USA Gymnastics
  • Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Without a doubt, there are dozens and dozens of others, especially in world sports (Futbol), college sports and women’s sports. Feel free to add your suggestion(s) in the comments section or on Twitter @WhileYoungIdeas

Red Sox Earn an Off-Day

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BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox eased into a single day break Thursday with a three-game winning streak but a (6-4) record over their last 10 games, but claimed a two-game mini-series sweep over the struggling Atlanta Braves and are (9-4) over their last 13 games.

The pair of 10-8 victories over the Braves indicated some of the symptoms facing the Sox starting rotation. In the opener against the Braves, SP Garrett Richards allowed  six runs, four earned. Richards holds a 4.36 ERA, overall, but in his last three starts (14 innings pitched), the right hander has allowed 26 hits and 11 earned runs.

Wednesday night’s starter, Eduardo Rodriguez, began the season 5-0 with a 3.82 ERA and .260 opponent batting average over his first six (33.0 IP, 33-for-127, 14 ER) games. He then went 0-4 with a 8.49 ERA and .331 opponent average over his six starts (29.2 IP, 41- for-124, 28 ER) leading into the Braves game. The Sox posted an early 5-0 lead for Rodriguez but the left hander gave up four runs off six hits and a walk, and allowed Atlanta to erase a five-run deficit to 5-4.

The trend was contagious for Martin Perez as he’s allowed 11 runs in 3.1 innings pitched in his last two starts and Nick Pivetta  who coughed-up six runs in his last start.

Starting pitching woes aside, the Sox are currently a season-high 15 games above .500 at (42-27) after concluding a testy 17 consecutive game-day stretch, all against 2020 MLB Playoff teams. They’ll pick it up again Friday night at Kansas City for a three-game series against the Royals.

Nick Pivetta, Martin Perez and Nathan Eovaldi will start for Boston over the weekend before the club earns another rare off-day this Monday.

 

 

Red Sox Defeat Marlins, 5-3

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BOSTON – Red Sox second baseman Christian Arroyo knocked-in two runs with a single in Boston’s half of the fourth inning, and the Sox defeated the Marlins 5-3 for their fifth straight victory.

Boston outfielder Alex Verdugo added two hits including an RBI double for the Red Sox, who were coming off their first three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium since June 2011.

Starling Marte hit a solo homer and had two base hits for Miami, which left 14 baserunners on base. It was the Marlins’ ninth loss in the last 10 games.

The Marlins completed a nine-game, 11-day road trip with just one win, with the first two losses coming in Fenway Park.

The Red Sox are a season-high 14 games over .500 at 37-23. The matchup was a makeup of the May 30 game that was rained out, with the conditions vastly different. The game-time temperature at Fenway Park was a stifling 90 degrees. When the Marlins were previously in town, it was chilly and rainy for the three days.

Red Sox Win in 10; Sweep Yankees

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BRONX – Boston all-star shortstop Xander Bogaerts laced a two-run single with two outs in the 10th inning and the Boston Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of the struggling New York Yankees by holding on for a 6-5 victory at Yankee Stadium.

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Red Sox slugger Bobby Dalbec opened the 10th with a walk on a pitch that resulted in New York hitting coach Marcus Thames screaming from the dugout and the ejection of bench coach Carlos Mendoza.

The Red Sox had runners at second and third following a sacrifice bunt by Christian Arroyo, and Bogaerts provided for Boston’s lead when he hit a 2-1 slider off Luis Cessa (1-1) to the gap in left-center field to give Boston a 6-4 lead.

Bogaerts had given the Red Sox a 4-3 lead with a sacrifice fly in the eighth, and his double gave Boston its first three-game sweep in New York since June 7-9, 2011.

The Red Sox blew a 4-3 lead when closer Matt Barnes (2-1) allowed a game-tying double to Gleyber Torres in the ninth. He stranded runners at first and third by striking out pinch hitter Rougned Odor on a full-count pitch that replays showed was outside and resulted in the ejection of New York third base coach Phil Nevin by plate umpire Gabe Morales.

Boston’s Phillips Valdez hit Clint Frazier with his first pitch of the 10th, got a double play on Miguel Andujar and allowed an infield single to Tyler Wade to make it 6-5. Wade took second on a throwing error by Marwin Gonzalez and, following an animated mound visit from manager Alex Cora, Valdez retired DJ LeMahieu on a groundout for his first career save.

Red Sox Salvage a Game in Houston

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HOUSTON – Boston’s Christian Arroyo hit a three-run homer and starting pitcher Martin Perez tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings as the Boston Red Sox posted a much-needed 5-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Thursday afternoon to salvage the finale of a four-game series.

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Boston shortstop Xander Bogaerts broke out of an 0-for-24 mini-slump with a two-run double in the seventh inning as the Red Sox halted the Astros’ four-game winning streak. Bogaerts added an infield single in the ninth.

Perez (4-2) allowed six hits and one walk and struck out four during an 82-pitch effort. The left-hander has won his past four starts.

Houston’s Yuli Gurriel went 3-for-4 with a ninth-inning homer for the Astros, as they had outscored Boston 18-4 while winning the first three games of the series. Aledmys Diaz added two hits for the Astros.

J.D. Martinez had two doubles for the Red Sox.

Perez was five outs away from his third career shutout before tiring in the eighth. He allowed a one-out single to Garrett Stubbs and issued a two-out walk to Diaz to conclude his outing. Adam Ottavino entered and got Alex Bregman to fly to left-center to end the inning. Fellow right-handed reliever Brandon Workman served up Gurriel’s eighth blast with one out in the ninth before retiring the final two batters.

Earlier, Red Sox 3B  Rafael Devers led off the second inning with a double off the fence in center and Hunter Renfroe drew a walk against Houston starter Jake Odorizzi (0-3). Arroyo followed and received a cutter on the eighth pitch of the at-bat and hit it into the Crawford Boxes in left for his first homer of the season.

The score remained 3-0 until the seventh when Jason Verdugo walked against Astros right-hander Cristian Javier and Martinez followed with his second double.

That brought up Bogaerts, who had come up in the same situation two innings earlier and had struck out to keep his funk going. This time, Bogaerts laced a 2-2 slider into the left-field corner to score two for his first hit since May 25 against the Atlanta Braves.

Odorizzi lasted just three innings and allowed three runs and four hits. He walked three and struck out two.

Red Sox Head to Space City

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HOUSTON – If the Boston Red Sox are smart, they’ll sign Bill “Spaceman” Lee to a contract today for a span of the next 10 days. The Sox and Houston – home of the Johnson Space Center – will play seven baseball games in 11 days, with four coming this week at Minute Maid Stadium in Texas, while three games between Boston and the Astros will be scheduled for June 8-10 at Fenway Park.

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Going into this afternoon’s game, the Red Sox (32-20) are four games ahead of Houston (28-24) for the AL Wild Card slot, as Boston trails Tampa (34-20) for first place in the AL East. Houston has won each of the last regular season series between the two clubs but 12 of the last 23 contests were decided by one run.

Boston will start lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (5-3, 5.06 ERA) against Houston’s Jose Urquidy, a righty with a (3-2) record and 3.32 ERA. Overall, Boston starters have thrown 5-or-more innings in 44 games this season, third best in the majors behind the Oakland A’s (46) and LA Dodgers (45). The Red Sox are 15-3 when their starter goes 6+ innings and that was an issue for Rodriguez his last time out when he pitched a season-low 4.o innings against Philadelphia on May 23.

Prior to that start, Rodriguez had a MLB high and career-best of 36 starts going at least 5+ innings.  Rodriguez has lost his last three consecutive outings but has received only one run of support in those three games combined.

The Red Sox begin 17 consecutive days of games at Houston this afternoon.

 

Sox Win Rain-Shortened Game vs Miami

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BOSTON – It was a wash-out. The Boston Red Sox defeated the Miami Marlins, 5-2, in a Friday night drench-fest, delayed following the top of the 6th inning at 9:19 p.m and finally called at 10:44 p.m. The win brought the Sox to a season-high-tying 11 games above .500 (31-20) after winning six of their last nine games.

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Red Sox starter Martin Perez pitched 5.0 innings, allowing five hits and only two runs while striking-out four Miami batters. Perez allowed three earned runs or fewer for the ninth time in 10 starts this season, including each of his last seven outings. Perez retired 12 of his 13 batters faced, including a double play, following a home run surrendered to Miami’s Jorge Alfaro in the 2nd inning.

Boston’s J.D. Martinez went 2-for-3, as he hit a two-run double in the 3rd inning, tying the score at 2-2. Martinez also singled in the 5th. The two-run double marked the 300th and 301st RBI of his Red Sox career.

Red Sox outfielder Hunter Renfroe went 2-for-2, with doubles and runs scored in the 3rd and 5th innings. Each of Renfroe’s last four hits have gone for extra bases (three 2B, one HR). In 22 games this month, is batting .286 with an .838 OPS, 11 extra-base hits, and 13 RBI.

Miami starter Cody Poteet went 4.1 innings, held the Sox scoreless through two while eventually allowing four hits, five runs, with two walks and six strike-outs. He threw a career-low in innings and took his first career loss. The Marlins have lost each of their last two games after winning four of their previous five.

Tough Stretch Ahead for Red Sox

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BOSTON – When the Boston Red Sox score seven (or more) runs, they’re 15-0. When they score four or more runs, they are an MLB best 26-3 (.897). Last night, they scored but one run and lost to the Atlanta Braves, 3-1, and have now dropped each of their last two games after winning four in a row and going 5-1-0 in their last six series match-ups.

The Sox pitching staff has been equally impressive. Red Sox pitchers have allowed an AL-best 0.74 HR/9.0 IP (35 HR), good enough for second-fewest in MLB, aside from the St. Louis Cardinals staff at 0.70.

Dating back to April 8, a lifetime ago to many, yesterday was the first day the Red Sox took to the field being out of first place in the AL East. They began 46 consecutive days from 4/9-5/24 with at least a share of the top spot, including 43 consecutive days in sole possession of first place from 4/11-5/23.

Starting Thursday, each of Boston’s next 19 games will be against teams that made the 2020 MLB Postseason, and that extends to 27 of the next 30 contests – the bulk of the very important stretch in mid-season (HOU-7, NYY-6, ATL-3, TOR-4, MIA-3, TB-3).

Tonight’s starting pitcher for the Red Sox will be Nick Pivetta. Since being acquired by the Red Sox, Pivetta is 7-0 with a 3.28 ERA in 11 starts (57.2 IP, 21 ER). The only other pitchers to go unbeaten in their first 11-plus starts with the Red Sox were Matt Clement (first 12 in 2005) and Mike Nagy (first 12 in 1969).

The Red Sox are 10-1 in Pivetta’s starts. The Sox have never won as many as 11 of a pitcher’s first 12 starts with the club.

The Sox will play their 50th game of the season this evening. They have won at least 30 of their first 50 games 27 times, reaching MLB’s Postseason in each of the last five instances (2007, ‘08, ‘13, ‘16, ‘18).

J.D. Martinez Goes Long Ball for Win

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DUNEDIN – Boston’s designated hitter J.D. Martinez hit a two-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting the Red Sox to an 8-7 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at the Jays’ spring training and temporary home field in Florida.

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It was the 33-year-old Martinez’s 250th career homer and 12th this season. Bobby Dalbec hit a three-run homer for Boston, and Alex Verdugo had an RBI groundout in the ninth off Rafael Dolis (1-1) before Martinez’s long ball.

Phillips Valdez (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win, and Matt Barnes struck out three in the ninth for his 10th save.

Bo Bichette had three hits for Toronto. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 2-for-5 with two runs, and Randal Grichuk had two hits and two RBIs.

The Jays continue to play in Florida but will soon move north to play in Buffalo, NY as COVID-19 restrictions do not allow for regular travel from the USA to Canada.