Results tagged “jonathanpapelbon”

“The season doesn’t wind down. It just comes to a crashing halt,” Boston manager Terry Francona. That quote wraps up the entire sports day as the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots were on the losing end of comebacks today.

With most of September left to go, it's too early to say anything definitively. But it sure seems this morning like the Red Sox dealt Tampa Bay a devastating blow in the AL Wild Card race last night.

It wasn't enough to get everybody free tacos, but Jacoby Ellsbury made history in the Red Sox' win over Chicago last night, stealing his 55th base of the season and breaking Tommy Harper's club record. Never known for being a fleet team, the Sox have gone entire seasons witout the entire roster stealing 55 bases. Just in case you remember only those dark days, the Globe has provided us with a stolen base primer. The low point in recent years, according to our research, was 1983 (shut up; it's recent to us), when a team full of sluggards and plodders managed to swipe only 30 bases the whole season (leader with 11: Jerry Remy). So as far as team records go, stolen bases was a nice, easy, attainable one. Which doesn't mean our hat's not off to Jacoby, or that we're not going to eat a taco in his honor later today.

The folks who operate the Fenway Park scoreboard have been missing out on a key opportunity to help out the team. Just keep those two red circles on the scoreboard lit anytime the Sox are up at bat. Before you know it, baseballs will be clanging off the Green Monster like nobody's business.

Red Sox fans, though spending the entire month of August being tossed around in the Dryer of Emotion, could at least pretty much count on a win when Josh Beckett pitches. Even, apparently, when Josh Beckett pitches lousy.

Another All Star Game, another win for the American League. It's been 13 years since the Junior Circuit lost (not counting the tie game, which America lost); the 1996 game featured only one Red Sox player (Mo Vaughn) and two youngsters named Alex R. and Pedro M. making their ASG debuts. It was a long time ago. Last night, the AL used a lights-out performance by its bullpen to seal down a 4-3 win in St. Louis.

The Riverfront Times has photos of Red Sox All Star pitchers Tim Wakefield and Jonathan Papelbon making Boston look classy at the Playboy All Star bash in St. Louis. It may be Wakefield's first All Star game, but at least he looks like he's seen a woman before, which is more than we can say for Paps. (Some photos NSFW.)

So said Jonathan Papelbon afterwards. And if you're one of the millions who figured that (hour-long rain delay) + (10-1 lead) = (bedtime), we understand. Unfortunately, among the snoozing millions were the Sox bullpen, who turned a 10-1 lead into a devastating 11-10 loss in no time. This was ugly.

The Red Sox clearly felt their happy fans needed a little tension and drama last night. Why not? The Sox have proven so far this year that they can beat the Yankees in blowouts, in pitching masterpieces, in slugfests, in New York, in Boston, for richer, for even richer...why not save the good times for the end just once?

Why is Derek Jeter making this face? Is it just because the Yankees have now lost all seven games to the Red Sox this year? Is it because first place in the AL East just changed hands? Or is he just going loco after having to stand in the field for long inning after long inning while his pitching staff lets the Sox run around the bases?

We're old school Sox fans here at Bostonist, which means that we haven't been able to shake the "what are they going to do to break your heart this time" mentality that was drilled into us at an early age. But we've heard so much about this new Red Sox fan philosophy - the "of course they're going to get it done, when have they ever not?" outlook - that we're going to use Monday's Red Sox-Twins showdown as a reason to try it out.

Well, Red Sox fans - it's OK to hate instant replay now. For the first time since it was hurriedly instituted late last season, the umps went to the tape last night at Fenway, reviewing what was called a double by Omir Santos, realizing that it hit the angstrom unit between the top of the wall and a ledge, and called it a home run. A game-winning, pefect-Jonathan-Papelbon-season-spoiling home run. 3-2 Mets. Papelbon on instant replay: "No. Not a fan of it."

Act I, In Which We Are Rocked Like Hurricanes

OK, the excitement's mostly died down, but we can still string it out for one more day.

That's our own Jonathan Papelbon, who can afford any number of dogs that won't destroy priceless artifacts after signing a one-year deal for $6.25 million. Papelbon was under contract for 2009, but this helps the Sox avoid arbitration (Theo hates arbitration) and gives a sweet payday to one of the best closers in the league.

Much as we respect what Jonathan Papelbon is able to do on a mound -- and the way the guy knows how to celebrate -- we're going to call shenanigans on a remark he made Friday down in Florida.

Here, in the Bostonist confessional, it's OK to be honest. Did you give up last night? Did you see Daisuke get rocked for five early runs, (and Delcarmen for two more) look at the anemic Sox lineup, and think, "I don't need this agony and misery tonight"?

That was a long wait for some bad news, wasn't it? The bad news is that past results are NOT indicative of future success, and apparently the Angels aren't going to go away quietly after all. Now the Red Sox have to learn from the adversity that they had to wait for until the second round in 2004 and 2007.

New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Cancun for Spring Break. And now, Anaheim in October. These are the place you go to get loose, have fun, and live it up. The Red Sox made it 11 in a row over the Angels in the postseason, crushing the Halos with a dramatic 9th-inning home run by J.D. Drew.

There's some debate whether and how much a team should celebrate just by making the playoffs. It's not like the days when the NHL had 16 playoff spots for 21 teams. But with four spots in each league up for grabs, a team with a recent record of success, a high payroll, and experienced veterans should expect to make it. Oh, sorry, Hank, didn't see you standing right there.

Well, they flipped the switch, and we're still here. Our MVP All-World QB is gone, and we're still here. The Rays are officially going to leave Fenway still in first, and we're still here. And we feel fine.

Prior to last night’s game, the Red Sox were a game and a half behind the first place Devil Rays and a sweep would put the Red Sox back at the top of the division. In previous years, it was the Yankees the Sox were fighting for the top spot – the laundry might have changed, but the battle is still there. Last night, Jon Lester and the Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 3-0.

Folks got their money's worth at Fenway last night. But what do you say to recap the game?

Maybe it's the fact that the Mariners are 24 games under .500. Maybe it's the healing waters of Puget Sound. Whatever it is, after 48 hours in Seattle, the Red Sox look like themselves again.

We at the Bostonist remember a time when many thought the Red Sox were babying Jon Lester. Before the cancer scare and before he had ever threw a ball at Fenway, we kept hearing how special this kid is and how they needed to make sure he was ready for Boston. Cut to this year and Jon Lester, some would say is the ace of the staff. He’s been spot on most of his appearances this season and last night was night was no exception, when he led the Sox to a 4-0 win over the Mariners.

When Bostonist were kids, there were two nights a year we were permitted to stay up wicked late: New Year's Eve, and the baseball All-Star Game. We don't think we would have been allowed to stay up 'til 1:47 A.M. as kids. But that's what it would have taken to make it through last night's game.

Seven Red Sox are headed to the Bronx (by train!) for the All-Star Game. And what better way to arrive at the giant party at the house of the enemy than defending World Champions, back in first place. It's a lot of fun to travel in style like this.

"Night game, day game, get in at 5, night game, day game, day game, night game, extra innings, get in at 5." Beat poetry, or Jason Varitek describing the most recent stretch of the Red Sox' schedule?

Hey, these are starting to look like the good Red Sox again!

"Sick of playing that game," said Kevin Youkilis when it was all done. And can you blame him? The Red Sox had to wait out a rain delay, wait out the surprisingly resilient Joel Piniero, overcome a Papelbon blown save, and endure 13 muggy, soggy innings to finally beat the Cardinals 5-3. Youk's second homer of the game finally sent everyone home.