Bleacher Report - Articles by chris hurst

Jason Bay Hits It Big in Boston!

chris hurst — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:05:37 -0400

The Red Sox are sure hitting it big with Manny Ramirez gone and Jason Bay in.

For the first day in a Red Sox uniform wearing No. 44 and batting fifth in the lineup, and playing left field, Jason Bay is sure making a first impression.

Jason Bay arrived on Aug. 1, and hit it off big in the 10th inning. Bay to start got walked at his first at bat, and was the only Red Sox player to touch home plate.

In the 12th inning Bay hit a stand-up triple off of the center field wall. He eventually scored on a Jed Lowrie single. Bay got five standing ovations on Friday night.

Now to tonight, Aug. 2. This is Jason Bay's second day in a Red Sox uniform. He hit a three-run shot in the bottom of the first.

I bet Boston fans like me are glad that Manny is gone and Bay is in. This may very well be two in a row for Boston with Bay in.

Manny Ramirez Headed to LA Dodgers

chris hurst — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:21:13 -0400

After a full seven-and-a-half years, Manny Ramirez leaves the Boston Red Sox to go to the LA Dodgers, who are part of the National League West division.

When Manny heads to the Dodgers, he leaves two World Series titles that he helped the Red Sox ball club win in 2004 and 2007. At the present time, the Red Sox have a record of 61-48, while the Dodgers are 54-53.

The cut down of the trading comes down to this:

~Manny gets traded to the Dodgers.

~Jason Bay from the Pirates goes to Boston.

~Pirates get: Craig Hansen, Andy LaRoache, Brandon Moss, and Bryan Morris.

The Deal: The Dodgers pulled arguably the biggest mid season deal in team history right at the deadline, acquiring future Hall of Fame slugger Manny Ramirez from the Red Sox in a three-way deal that also saw Pittsburgh's Jason Bay head to Boston.

The Pirates received two prospects from each team, including reliever Craig Hansen and third baseman Andy LaRoche.
(source: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/news/trade_deadline/index_08.jsp)

The best line-up in baseball was just broken up as of today, and you know what, I hope this will do well for Boston by helping them get back on a winning streak. Manny, to most people, seemed like a nice guy and all, and a great team player, but wait!

Manny was always the star of the game sometime and somehow. It is sad to see Manny go, but in November of 2010, he will be a free agent, and who knows will Boston be in his future again? Or will another team?

At least we won’t need to sign that $20 million check at the end of the year! But to me, we just lost a great part of are ball club, and it will NEVER be the same without him or the other guys we lost.

Celtics up 3-1; Can They Pull off the Win to Secure the Title?

chris hurst — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 13:01:03 -0400

In just about an hour the Celtics will be playing their fifth straight game against the LA Lakers—this time for the NBA Finals title and trophy. The Celtics lead this series three games to one, and no team in history has ever come back to win after starting with this record.

The Celtics lead the Lakers in titles, 8-2. Now these two teams were the top two contenders from the start of the season. Celtics had a final record of 66-16, while the Lakers went 57-25.

Yes! The Celtics had the better record in my opinion, and the better team.

In game four, the Celtics didn't take a lead until the fourth quarter. They were down by at least 27 in the first half, and came back to win 97-91. But it took teamwork to do this. Many fans gave up on the Celtics in that game, but many fans stuck with them. This was a game to remember!

Now tonight game five starts at 9:00 PM EST, and I predict the ____ will take the Final title.

Oops, I didn't put a team name in, but I don't want to jinx anything, so I'm not going to say anything. However, I think the final score will be 101-96.

Question and Answers for the Boston Red Sox

chris hurst — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:11:43 -0400

With MLB Spring Training in full swing and opening day right around the corner, I think that the Red Sox have there work cut out for them this season. Some people have given me questions, so I will provide the answers:

1) Which players are primed for breakout seasons in 2008?

It could be anybody. JD Drew should have a GREAT year, but it could be anyone.

2) Are Clay Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury ready to contribute full-time?

Both of these fine young men are ready to be fully commited, and are great players. Clay has great fielding and pitching abilities, and Jacoby is a fast addition to the team with good fielding skills and hitting ability. I feel that they are ready to take on a full year in the majors.

3) Why will this team win the AL East instead of New York or Toronto?

Well, this is tough. Both teams are good, but they do not have the best teams this year. They have older players and not to many younger players compared to the Sox.

4) How likely is it that this team defends its World Series Championship?

It seems very likely. If we can buckle down and hit the ball and score runs, and not make errors or allow alot of runs we should be fine., and we NEED to win games! But yet it is still to early to tell.

5) What are your thoughts conerning the team deciding to head to Japan for the upcoming opening series with the A's?

The Red Sox are looking good in spring training. There record is 7-11 compared to the A's 16-7. The team seems ready to me, since they keep on talking about it. The players stuck up for the coaches yesterday, saying that you pay the coaches the smae amount as us, or we are NOT going to Japan. Well, as of last night every single member of the team will be getting $40,000 to travel to Japan and play.

To me John Henry made a stupid move on his part, starting off saying that everybody will get $40,000, but only giving the players that much. All of the players from the Sox were going to take money out of there own pocket to pay the coaches to travel.

But this is one series I cannot miss. The A's have a strong team this year, and so do the Sox. Almost any team can be the contender. The Sox have a young staff and some older players. This will do them good in the real season. Now remember spring training dosn't count, but the regular season does. Ya, maybe the A's are better than us in spring training, but the scouts are looking at the younger players, not at records. To me the Sox will take the series 2-0.

THE ROSTER FOR JAPAN:

PITCHERS (13): David Aardsma, Clay Buchholz, Bryan Corey, Manny Delcarmen, Jon Lester, Javier Lopez, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Hideki Okajima, Jonathan Papelbon, Kyle Snyder, Julian Tavarez, Mike Timlin, Tim Wakefield

CATCHERS (3): Dusty Brown, Kevin Cash*, Jason Varitek.

INFIELDERS (8): Sean Casey, Alex Cora, Mike Lowell, Jed Lowrie*, Julio Lugo, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis.

OUFIELDERS (6): Coco Crisp, J.D. Drew, Jacoby Ellsbury, Bobby Kielty*, Brandon Moss, Manny Ramirez.

60-DAY DISABLED LIST (1): Curt Schilling.

*Non-Roster Invitee (Redsox.com)

Red Sox News: Boston To Induct Eight Players into Red Sox Hall of Fame

chris hurst — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 02:40:01 -0500

The Boston Red Sox will be inducting eight players into their personal Hall of Fame. Half of those players would have played after World War II.

WES FERRELL

Pitched for the Red Sox from 1934-37 with a 62-40 overall record in that span...Led the A.L. in wins (25), starts (38), complete games (31), and innings (322.1) in 1935 and recorded 20 victories in 1936...Had a 193-128 overall record in a 15-year major league career...Holds the ML career record with 38 homers by a pitcher...Died in 1996.

MIKE GREENWELL

Played his entire career with the Red Sox from 1985-96, serving as the team's regular left fielder for most of that period...Batted .303 with 130 homers and 726 RBI in 1269 games...Is among Boston's all-time leaders in doubles (9th, 275), hits (10th, 1400), RBI (12th), and average (13th)...Hit over .300 5 times...Hit .325 and finished 2nd in A.L. MVP voting in 1988.

BILL LEE

Pitched for the Red Sox from 1969-78 with a 94-68 record and 3.64 ERA in 321 games/167 starts...Ranks 8th in club history in appearances and is 3rd among Sox lefthanders in wins...Recorded 17 wins each in 3 consecutive seasons from 1973-75...Had an overall career record of 119-90 in 14 major league seasons.

EVERETT SCOTT

Was Boston's regular shortstop from 1914-21, playing on 3 World Series winners (1915-16-18)...Holds the Red Sox club record by playing in 832 consecutive games and leads all Boston shortstops with 2310 putouts and 3394 assists...Played in 1654 games in a 13-year career, including a them ML record 1307 straight contests from 1916-25...Died in 1960.

FRANK SULLIVAN

Posted a 90-80 record in 252 games/201 starts with the Red Sox from 1953-60...Won 13 or more games in 5 straight seasons from 1954-58 with a career high 18 victories and a 2.91 ERA in 1955...Was an A.L. All-Star in 1955 and 1956...Overall won 97 games in an 11-year major league career.

MO VAUGHN

Was one of the league's top offensive players in his 8 seasons with Boston from 1991-98...Hit .304 with 230 homers and 752 RBI in 1046 games with the Red Sox...Ranks 6th in club history in homers and slugging (.542), 9th in RBI, and 12th in average...Was the 1995 A.L. MVP with 39 homers and 126 RBI...Hit .326 with 44 homers and 143 RBI in 1996 and .337 with 40 homers and 115 RBI in 1998...Won 3 straight Red Sox MVL Awards from 1994-96...Played in 3 All-Star Games...Had a .293 average with 328 homers and 1064 RBI in 1572 overall ML games.

GEORGE DIGBY

Served as a Red Sox amateur scout for 50 years from 1944-1994...Signed Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, newly elected Red Sox Hall of Famer Mike Greenwell and Dalton Jones and Reid Nichols among others...Was the 1985 East Coast Scout of the Year...Served as a scouting consultant for the Red Sox through 2004.

EDWARD KENNEY, SR.

Served as a Red Sox executive for over 40 years...Started in the Boston organization as a pitching prospect in 1946 but had arm problems and went to work in the ticket office...Joined the minor league department in 1948 and became farm director in 1966...Retired in 1991 after a stint as Vice President of Baseball Development...Died in 2006.

(Information from redsox.com.)

Red Sox News: George Bush Gets a Jersey

chris hurst — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:06:50 -0500

Earlier today, the World Series Champions, the Boston Red Sox, boarded a plane bound for Washington D.C. to see the President of the United States.

For most of the Red Sox, this will be the first visit to the White House and the Walter Reed Medical Center. After the 2007 World Champs meet with the president, they will make there way down to the Walter Reed Medical Center to meet and greet ill patients.

The Red Sox awarded President George Bush with a Red Sox team shirt that said BUSH 07 on the back. Many of the players said that it is exciting to meet our president and be honored.

This was Curt Schilling's highlight so far this spring.

New York Yankees News: Is Brian Cashman In or Out?

chris hurst — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 09:46:50 -0500

The New York Yankees Vice President Hank Steinbrenner, will be talking to General Manager Brian Cashman during the season.

Cashman joined the Yankees as a 19-year-old intern in June 1986 and obtained Bob Watson’s position as general manager after the 1997 season.

Now to Spring training...

Steinbrenner has been impressed so far by the spring training camp run by new manager Joe Girardi, who replaced Joe Torre last October.

Steinbrenner quoted: "I love what he does. I love what he's doing here, I mean I really do. He's a rare combination of things. The players like him, they respect him and they even have a little bit of fear of him. He can be intimidating. Extremely smart. Tough guy. Fiery. But they really like him, too. It's a tough thing to achieve as a leader."

The VP will be keeping a close eye on the younger pitchers such as Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and Ian Kennedy.

Steinbrenner did admit he will be following Santana's performance this year.

"It has nothing to do with Chamberlain, Hughes or Kennedy," Steinbrenner said. "It's just Santana is Santana. Obviously it will be hard to avoid seeing what he does."

Source ESPN.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

We will see how the Yankees will perform this year. The pitching staff is getting older, and I think the Yankees should start looking for younger players just like the Red Sox have done. If they want to get anywhere this season, I would start looking now and all throughout the season.

The fielding is strong, but may need some work. You have Derek Jeter at shortstop, Alex Rodriguez at third, Robinson Cano at second, and Jason Giambi at first.

They do have back up, but will they use it??? Let’s see in Spring training and in the regular season!

San Francisco Giants: Success Without Shortstop Omar Vizquel?

chris hurst — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:15:29 -0500

Omar Vizquel of the San Francisco Giants has torn the medial meniscus cartilage in his right knee and is expected to miss four to five weeks of playing time during the season. Omar Vizquel, turning 41 in April, will soon meet with a team doctor.

Vizquel is quoted as saying, "My knee was feeling good. I wanted to give it a hard shot in order to make a decision. It didn't work. I felt a little pop when I was running."

He does say on the news that he wants a speedy recovery.

In his absence, Kevin Frandsen will take over the shortstop position, which ends Frandsen's competition with Ray Durham at second base.

Source: MLB.com

Hitting Stats..

SEASON	TEAM	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	AVG
1989	Seattle Mariners	143	387	45	85	7	3	1	20	101	28	40	1	4	.273	.261	.220
1990	Seattle Mariners	81	255	19	63	3	2	2	18	76	18	22	4	1	.295	.298	.247
1991	Seattle Mariners	142	426	42	98	16	4	1	41	125	45	37	7	2	.302	.293	.230
1992	Seattle Mariners	136	483	49	142	20	4	0	21	170	32	38	15	13	.340	.352	.294
1993	Seattle Mariners	158	560	68	143	14	2	2	31	167	50	71	12	14	.319	.298	.255
1994	Cleveland Indians	69	286	39	78	10	1	1	33	93	23	23	13	4	.325	.325	.273
1995	Cleveland Indians	136	542	87	144	28	0	6	56	190	59	59	29	11	.333	.351	.266
1996	Cleveland Indians	151	542	98	161	36	1	9	64	226	56	42	35	9	.362	.417	.297
1997	Cleveland Indians	153	565	89	158	23	6	5	49	208	57	58	43	12	.347	.368	.280
1998	Cleveland Indians	151	576	86	166	30	6	2	50	214	62	64	37	12	.358	.372	.288
1999	Cleveland Indians	144	574	112	191	36	4	5	66	250	65	50	42	9	.397	.436	.333
2000	Cleveland Indians	156	613	101	176	27	3	7	66	230	87	72	22	10	.377	.375	.287
2001	Cleveland Indians	155	611	84	156	26	8	2	50	204	61	72	13	9	.323	.334	.255
2002	Cleveland Indians	151	582	85	160	31	5	14	72	243	56	64	18	10	.341	.418	.275
2003	Cleveland Indians	64	250	43	61	13	2	2	19	84	29	20	8	3	.321	.336	.244
2004	Cleveland Indians	148	567	82	165	28	3	7	59	220	57	62	19	6	.353	.388	.291
2005	San Francisco Giants	152	568	66	154	28	4	3	45	199	56	58	24	10	.341	.350	.271
2006	San Francisco Giants	153	579	88	171	22	10	4	58	225	56	51	24	7	.361	.389	.295
2007	San Francisco Giants	145	513	54	126	18	3	4	51	162	44	48	14	6	.305	.316	.246

Career Totals		2588	9479	1337	2598	416	71	77	869	3387	941	951	380	152	.340	.357	.274

Fielding Stats:

SEASON	TEAM	POS	G	GS	INN	TC	PO	A	E	DP	PB	SB	CS	RF	FPCT
1989	Seattle Mariners	SS	143	---	---	614	208	388	18	102	---	---	---	---	.971
1990	Seattle Mariners	SS	81	---	---	349	103	239	7	48	---	---	---	---	.980
1991	Seattle Mariners	2B	1	---	---	0	0	0	0	0	---	---	---	---	.000
1991	Seattle Mariners	SS	138	---	---	659	224	422	13	105	---	---	---	---	.980
1992	Seattle Mariners	SS	136	---	---	633	223	403	7	92	---	---	---	---	.989
1993	Seattle Mariners	SS	155	---	---	735	245	475	15	108	---	---	---	---	.980
1994	Cleveland Indians	SS	69	---	---	323	113	204	6	54	---	---	---	---	.981
1995	Cleveland Indians	SS	136	---	---	624	210	405	9	84	---	---	---	---	.986
1996	Cleveland Indians	SS	150	---	---	693	226	447	20	91	---	---	---	---	.971
1997	Cleveland Indians	SS	152	---	---	684	245	429	10	98	---	---	---	---	.985
1998	Cleveland Indians	SS	151	---	---	720	273	442	5	94	---	---	---	---	.993
1999	Cleveland Indians	2B	1	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	---	---	---	---	.000
1999	Cleveland Indians	SS	143	140	1214.1	634	217	402	15	89	---	---	---	4.59	.976
1999	Cleveland Indians	OF	1	0	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	---	---	---	0.00	.000
2000	Cleveland Indians	SS	156	154	1328.2	647	230	414	3	99	---	---	---	4.36	.995
2001	Cleveland Indians	SS	154	152	1320.2	640	219	414	7	88	---	---	---	4.31	.989
2002	Cleveland Indians	SS	150	148	1291.0	677	239	431	7	98	---	---	---	4.67	.990
2003	Cleveland Indians	SS	64	63	551.1	324	114	203	7	59	---	---	---	5.17	.978
2004	Cleveland Indians	SS	147	141	1245.0	607	200	396	11	91	---	---	---	4.31	.982
2005	San Francisco Giants	SS	150	144	1292.1	668	234	426	8	81	---	---	---	4.60	.988
2006	San Francisco Giants	SS	152	148	1281.1	599	205	390	4	87	---	---	---	4.18	.993
2007	San Francisco Giants	SS	143	136	1219.1	651	198	444	9	90	---	---	---	4.74	.986

Career Totals			2573	---	---	11481	3926	7374	181	1658	---	---	---	---	.984

compliments of: http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/individual_stats_player.jsp?c_id=sf&playerID=123744