Cubs Deliver A 'Knuckle' Sandwich To Red Sox, Fall, 7-4

(AP Photo)

The Red Sox led 3-0 and 4-2 in today's game, then the Chicago Cubs figured out Steven Wright's knuckle ball. Aggressively swinging at first pitch floaters, Cub hitters started going deep in an eventual 7-4 win over the Red Sox. The Boston bullpen—which for some unknown reason is considered "good"—was painfully lousy today, giving up two runs, three hits and two walks in just 2.2 innings. One bright spot was Andrew Benintendi's second HR in as many days. However, this was a game that a contending team wins—and wins easily. The Red Sox are not such a team. Pure and simple.

BREAKING: Sox Display Actual Offense, Beat Cubs, 5-4

(AP Photo)

The rumors were true—the 2017 Carmine Hose can actually hit the baseball. Not only that, they scored runs in the first inning—five to be exact. That tally proved to be just enough as the Red Sox outlasted the World Series Champions, 5-4. After falling behind 1-0 on a mammoth Kris Bryant HR (watched from the stands by his Medford-born Dad), Andrew Benintendi tied it with his own solo balst—igniting the five-run uprising. Drew Pomeranz was just good enough to keep things relatively in check—going six solid innings and giving up just two earned runs. The bullpen effort was a bit shaky, but proved just good enough, as Craig Kimbrel struck out the side again in the 9th for his eighth save. Multiple hit games were put in by: Hanley Ramirez, Dustin Pedroia, Christian Vazquez and Marco Hernandez.

Blue Jays Release Ex-Red Sox C Jarrod Saltalamacchia

(FenwayNation Photo)

The Toronto Blue Jays today designated for assignment former Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. "Salty", now 32 years old, was having a brutal year so far in 2017 (hitting .040). He probably has an outside chance of getting a minor-league deal with somebody—but this could be the end of the road. During his four years in Carmine Hose, Salty hit .243 with 55 HRs and 181 RBIs.

Muddy Chicken Hitting Sixth For First Time In Career

Here is today's Red Sox lineup against the World Series Champion Cubbies: Xander Bogaerts SS, Andrew Benintendi LF, Mookie Betts RF, Hanley Ramirez DH, Mitch Moreland 1B, Dustin Pedroia 2B, Jackie Bradley, Jr. CF, Christian Vazquez C, Marco Hernandez. On the mound tonight for The Carmine Hose is Drew Pomeranz.

Red Sox Add Chase d'Arnaud And Ben Taylor To Roster

The Red Sox made some key roster moves on Friday—adding newly-acquired IF Chase d'Arnaud and RP Ben Taylor. The team also optioned IF/OF Steve Selsky and RP Robbie Ross, Jr. Both new players will be available tonight in the opening game with the World Series Champion Chicago Cubs.

Pedro Martinez Weighs In: 'I Would Have Drilled Machado'

Just in case you had any doubt, if Pedro Martinez was still pitching, he would have plunked Manny Machado after the spiking incident with Dustin Pedroia. According to ESPN.com's Scott Lauber (who apparently survived the "Bloodbath In Bristol"), the Hall of Fame pitcher said, "If I was pitching, I was going to drill Machado, as much as I love him. The only thing I would've done differently is probably bring the ball a little bit lower." Did you really have any doubt? Pedro also did not think that Red Sox reliever Matt Barnes was intentionally throwing at Machado's head. Hey, it hit his bat anyway, right? Foul ball.

Curse This! Sox And Cubs Display Trophies For Charity

On Sunday night at Fenway Park, fans will be able to visit and take photos with the two most famous 'curse-busting' trophies in MLB history: the 2004 Red Sox trophy and the 2016 Cubs trophy. We're talking about a combined 194 years of angst here! This terrific idea is all to benefit the Red Sox Foundation and Cubs Charities. The twin trophies will be on display in the Gate K/B concourse at Fenway when gates open starting at 6:35 p.m. ET on Sunday. Proceeds from a slew of weekend events will go to funding scholarships for under-served youth in both cities. It's only fitting that the architect of both historic World Series Championships—Theo Epstein—is in town to enjoy this joint display.

FenwayNation Named One Of Five Best Red Sox Blogs

FenwayNation is honored to have been named one of five "best baseball blogs" covering the Red Sox by OldSportsCards.com. The site, run by Ross Uitts, is a comprehensive resource that provides information about specific baseball cards, sets, shows and other hobby-related topics. They also set out on the monumental task of evaluating the hundreds of baseball blogs on the Web—and picking the best of the best for each team. Again, we are truly honored to be selected in this elite company. You can see the honorees for the Red Sox and every other team HERE.

Are Offense-Free Red Sox Able To Put Butts In Seats?

What's wrong with this picture? We'll tell you what: your punch-less 2017 Carmine Hose can't even sell out a series with the star-studded World Series Champion Cubs. Jon Lester, Anthony Rizzo, and Theo Epstein are all back in town with rings in tow—yet they're advertising "available tickets" on the morning of Game One? Clearly, with back-to-back non-sellouts against The Evil Empire (around 32,000 on Wednesday and 34,000 on Thursday) and the prospect of the same in the Cubs series, the NOG (New Ownership Group) has to be worried. They're spending a crapload of cash on this squad—and the expectations were for them to be meeting these same Cubbies in the World Series. Not the way these guys are hitting! They can talk all they want about "The Papi Void", but the bottom line is these are professionals—and, by the way, the Red Sox seemed to fare pretty well in the Post-Manny Ramirez Era. The talent is here, they need to be jump-started to reality. If that jump-start doesn't translate into contention, heads will roll. Count on it.

Lock Up The Scissors: Sox 'Fail Sale' Again, Lose, 3-0

(AP Photo)

The Raiders Of The Lost Offense are back again. Shut out in three of their last seven games, the Red Sox cannot convert high OPB and batting averages into runs—thus, they are on the verge of being a .500 ball club (11-10 as of tonight's 3-0 shutout loss). Boston mustered just three hits, while their ace pitched his heart out. Chris Sale went eight innings, giving up just two earned runs on six hits—while striking out ten and walking none. The slim lefty's ERA is 1.19, yet he is 1-2. This team that was supposed to contend is barely ahead of the pathetic Rays. Look for some personnel changes soon—both on the field and off—if this tailspin toward oblivion continues much longer. Tonight's loss was a sprightly 2 hours and 21 minutes—the only good thing.

Sox Claim IF Chase d'Arnaud Off Waivers From Braves

Faced with 'non-deep' infield depth, the Red Sox today grabbed a classic utility-type player off waivers from the Atlanta Braves. Chase d'Arnaud, 30, has the bulk of his MLB experience at shortstop, but can play second and third base—as well as the OF. Last season, he hit .245 in 84 games for the Bravos. We know, we know, try to restrain your excitement.

Laser Show Is Back Atop The Red Sox Lineup Thursday

Dustin Pedroia will be in the Red Sox lineup as they face The Bronx Embalmers tonight at Fenway. This is the first game back for The Muddy Chicken since being spiked by Baltimore's Manny Machado. Clearly, his knee and ankle injuries must have progressed enough—but keeping Pedroia out of the lineup with anything sort of bubonic plague is a tall order anyway.

Red Sox Prospect Critically Injured In Florida Car Crash

A 20-year old Red Sox pitching prospect was seriously injured last night in a Florida car crash. Kevin Steen, who was drafted by Boston in 2014, was driving in a vehicle hit by another car that crossed a median in Lehigh Acres—near Fort Myers. Steen was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital in critical condition. The driver of the other vehicle was killed at the scene. The Tennessee native is in extended Spring Training—and has played in the Gulf Coast League and for the Single-A Lowell Spinners. The Red Sox organization issued the following statement, "The thoughts and prayers of the entire Red Sox organization are with minor league player Kevin Steen, who sustained serious injuries in a car accident in Florida last night. The club will update his condition at the appropriate time," We wish Kevin a speedy recovery.

Cast Your April Dalton Jones Industrial Average Vote!

Well, we're about to finish the initial month of the new season. So, we need to make the first in-season assessment of your 2017 edition of The Carmine Hose. FenwayNation's exclusive Dalton Jones Industrial Average offers our readers the chance to "chime in" on the team each month. The DJIA (honoring the Red Sox all-time pinch-hit leader) gathers four key metrics from FN readers scattered around the world. Through the DJIA, readers assess the fortunes of the team on: starting pitching, relief pitching, overall offense and overall defense. FenwayNation will publish the DJIA Index Score each month during the season—and the fluctuation up or down from the previous reading. You can now cast your April DJIA vote HERE.

Theo Epstein Admits: 'I Still Root For The Red Sox'

Former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein—arriving at Fenway this weekend with his World Series Champion Cubbies—still has a soft spot for Boston. After all, he grew up here—at least to the small degree that The People's Republic Of Brookline can be representative of the area. In an interview on 98.5's The Baseball Reporters, Epstein waxed nostalgic, "I still consider myself on great terms with the Red Sox. I still root for the Red Sox. I’m really looking forward to this weekend. I’m still a Bostonian, with a new home in Chicago. You can’t ever separate yourself from the team you grew up rooting for, and I spent a decade of my life there." It will be interesting to see what type of reception he gets at Fenway Park. It should be overwhelmingly positive.

Red Sox Rally Late, Fall Short To The Evil Empire, 3-1

(AP Photo)

A few more feet to the right and this would have been the Josh Rutledge Miracle Game. After tallying once off so-called 'Uber-Closer' Aroldis Chapman (who didn't hit 100 MPH on any of his 30 pitches in the 9th inning), Boston was poised to win it with two on and two out in the final frame. Rutledge—playing for the injured Panda—roped a Chapman pitch high into the foggy night down the left-field line. Even the cretinous Yankee fans thought it was over. Alas, it went foul and another pretty decent Rick Porcello performance went down the tubes, 3-1. The one highlight was Mookie Betts slamming a double off Chapman to set up the potential winning rally. Tomorrow, Sox ace Chris Sale looks to slay The Bronx Embalmers.

Our National Pretzel Day Fave: Honey Mustard & Onion

Thanks to the good folks at Snyder's Of Hanover, FenwayNation was allowed to sample a huge array of pretzel types for today—National Pretzel Day. While we really liked the Brick Oven Pizza-Flavored ones, we have to say that the Sourdough Honey Mustard & Onion pretzel pieces were our favorite. In fact, it's almost impossible to stop eating them. Not that some of the others (besides the pizza ones) weren't great—they were. In particular, Sweet Chili Garlic. But, hey, what's not to like about pretzels! Have a great National Pretzel Day—eat lots!

Muddy Chicken Sits Out Opener Against The Evil Empire

Dustin Pedroia will sit out again today—still recovering from the spiking he took from Manny Machado last Friday. The Red Sox second-baseman—and de facto Captain—still has soreness in his knee and ankle from the incident. The likely wet playing surface tonight also contributed to the decision to keep The Laser Show idle against The Bronx Embalmers.

Evil Empire Has Best Run Differential In All Of MLB

Don't look now, Red Sox fans, but The Bronx Embalmers have the best run differential in all of major league baseball (+30). How could this be, you ask? Well, a lot of it has to do with the group of younger Yankees (disgustingly nick-named 'The Baby Bombers'). Their grotesquely huge right-fielder Aaron Judge has 6 HRs and 13 RBIs (both leading the team). Another OF, Aaron Hicks, is hitting .303 with 4 HRs and the son of former Red Sox player Kevin Romine—C Austin Romine—is hitting .324. There are some older contributors as well. 'Ancient' 27-year old Starlin Castro leads the team in batting (.357) and hits (25). And probably their best young player (Gary Sanchez) is hurt. All in all, they are scoring a lot of runs (fourth in the AL at 92), and giving up the fewest runs in all of baseball (62). They arrive at Fenway tonight.

Massive Layoffs At MS-ESPN Reflect Sagging Ratings

The Bloodbath of Bristol has begun! Up to 100 employees of ESPN have been fired by "The (Not-So) Worldwide Leader".  The increasingly political "sports" network was hemorrhaging subscribers and ratings—so some kind of drastic action had to be taken. On the baseball side, it looks like Jayson Stark and Jim Bowden are the most notable departures. And, while it stinks for them, we're sure they will find safe landing spots elsewhere. Other than that, it sounds to us like a necessary market correction for a network that has become less and less relevant over the last few years.

Sox Are Back In Action, And Parking Is Even Tougher

The Red Sox are back in town—and so are The Evil Ones! But, don't even try to park near Fenway—the word is that Lansdowne Street will now also be closed to traffic—in addition to Yawkey Way. We can't argue with the reasons—mostly security-related—but it will make getting to games even harder than usual. If you park in The People's Republic of Brookline—your car will disappear faster than Kim Jong-un's standing with Communist China. You can, however, get a decent parking spot near Fenway by logging onto ParkWhiz. For a few years now, our readers have been able to dispense with part of the angst of going to Fenway—although we can't help you avoid kale-laced food at the NOG's trendy concessions. To get a great spot near Fenway Park, click HERE. 

POLL: Readers Deadlocked On Red Sox Rivalry Primacy

Very early voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll suggests that readers can't decide which 2017 Red Sox rivalry is better: the one against the Orioles or the one against The Evil Ones. As the chart shows, opinion is exactly divided so far—with 50% going each way. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

POLL: In 2017, Which Sox Rivalry Interests You More?

In 2017, which rivalry interests you more:

Red Sox and Orioles

Red Sox and Yankees

OTHER—specify in comments section

 

pollcode.com free polls

Little League Baseball Is Alive And Well In Dubai, UAE

(Photo by Michael Baker)

A lot of MLB teams like to brag about the cityscape views their ballparks offer fans. Most notably, AT&T Park in San Francisco, PNC Park in Pittsburgh and Comerica Park in Detroit offer stunning views of their respective downtowns (as stunning as Detroit can be, anyhow). Even old Fenway Park let's you gaze at the Prudential and Hancock towers—and a little of the downtown skyline when you're in the right seats. But Little Leaguers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates get the view to end all views—including the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. Ex-pat kids from the USA make up most of the team rosters, but there are a few locals who are taking to the game as well. Says 14-year old Houston native Michael Baker, "Not as many people in the UAE really love the game — most people here like soccer. It is not very popular and the fields we play on are one the only fields in the whole country. Those who know about it actually like it, though." It's good to know that the greatest game is taking some root in far-away desert lands.

Panda Placed On 10-Day DL With Sprained Right Knee

Yet another medical issue has hit the 2017 Red Sox as third-baseman Pablo Sandoval has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with a sprained right knee. The Panda injured the knee on a diving play in the sixth inning of Sunday's game against Baltimore. It's unclear what the long-term prognosis is on Sandoval—who could be out longer than the 10 days. Presumably, a combination of Brock Holt/Josh Rutledge/Marco Hernandez will carry the load until Panda's return.

Sox P Matt Barnes Fined And Suspended Four Games

Matt Barnes has been fined and suspended by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred for four games. The relief pitcher is appealing the decision. Barnes will continue pitching while his appeal is heard. The big right-hander threw a pitch near the head of Baltimore's Manny Machado a day after Machado spiked Dustin Pedroia on a play at second base. Stay tuned.

Benintendi In Elite Company Of Cronin And Conigliaro

Benintendi

With his 5-5 performance on Sunday in Baltimore, Andrew Benintendi became the youngest player (age 22) since Joe Cronin to achieve that feat. Hall of Famer Cronin did it in 1929 for the Washington Senators—before he joined the Carmine Hose. The last Red Sox player to go 5-5 was Tony Conigliaro. In April of 1967—just four months before being beaned by Jack Hamilton—Tony C. went 5-5 against (who else?) the Yankees. The last player to go 5-5 was Royals first-baseman Eric Hosmer, who did it six years ago in 2011. Benintendi—a strong candidate for AL Rookie Of The Year—is now hitting .347, with a .415 on-base percentage.

Forget The Empire, Red Sox Beat New Rival O's, 6-2

(AP Photo)

Not since the completion of the transcontinental railroad has a spike had so much impact. Manny Machado's spiking of Dustin Pedroia has set off a spiral or reprisal that could get real nasty before it gets better. Today, with the Red Sox "comfortably" ahead 6-0, Matt Barnes unleashed a pitch very close to Machado's head—that ironically only hit his bat for a strike. But the bad blood began to boil again. This sideshow overshadow the re-emergence of Boston's power offense, as they launched three HRs in the eventual 6-2 win. Mookie Betts (3-run HR), Hanley Ramirez and Mitch Moreland (both solo shots) accounted for five of the six runs—and Andrew Benintendi had the other RBI in the midst of his monster 5-5 game. Eduardo Rodriguez pretty much shut down his old club—going six solid innings, giving up just one hit and striking out seven (although he also walked five).

Red Sox 'Knuckle-Under' To Baltimore Again, Lose, 4-2

(AP Photo)

Just when you thought it was safe to watch the knuckleball again—bang—you're brought back to reality. Thanks to a monster two-run HR by Jackie Bradley, Jr., the Red Sox were enjoying a blissful lead. Even the NESN guys were speculating that Steven Wright might have his mojo back. Wrong! Four runs later, Boston was again on their treadmill to offensive oblivion—eventually losing 4-2 to the Orioles. Said Wright of his signature pitch, "It's not really moving. I am trying to get the violence back into the pitch." We'll even accept a little mild anger. Boston faces the real possibility of a sweep to the O's—who, believe it or not, own the best record in baseball.

Red Sox-O's In Rain Delay; Muddy Chicken Not Starting

Muddy Chicken Injured In Punch-Less 2-0 Loss to O's

(AP Photo)

UPDATE: 'I don't need a f********* rule'—Pedey
At some point this offense has got to go from hitting for high average to actually scoring runs. Last night, they mustered just six hits in a 2-0 loss to the Orioles—wasting a good (although way-too-high a pitch count) performance from Drew Pomeranz. Much more important than the game result is the likelihood that the team's heart and soul—Dustin Pedroia—may be lost for a time after being spiked by Manny Machado in the eighth inning. Stay tuned.

New Balance's Sox-Themed Shoes Are Wicked Awesome

The good people at New Balance have given FenwayNation the opportunity of trying out their new Red Sox-themed, limited-edition Fresh Foam Zante v3 Ballpark shoe. The new lightweight running shoe features an aggressive toe spring, a comfortable no-sew material application for a sleek fit and Boston-inspired insoles and outsoles. Specifically, "BOS" and "TON" on the outsoles, and a replica of a vintage Red Sox ticket on the insoles. Very cool. Now, for our non-technical review: they are wicked comfortable. As soon as you put these puppies on, they seem to conform to your feet like they were custom-made. As with all athletic shoes, you should probably get them about a half-size bigger than regular shoes—although that varies by person. These shoes are truly lightweight—and thus great for running or just schlepping around town (as we will mostly use them). The bottom line is you can be stylish and comfortable in these new shoes—and you can represent your home town in all those remote regions outside of 495. You can find out more information on the Fresh Foam Zante v3 Ballpark shoes—and even buy them— HERE.

Seven Of Next Thirteen Red Sox Games Against Orioles

In two weeks time, we may know a lot more about the 2017 Carmine Hose—and the nature of the AL East race. Starting tonight, seven of the next thirteen Red Sox games will be against the Baltimore Orioles. The O's have been a bit of a surprise so far—sitting atop the division with a 10-4 record. While it's early, they've been a good road team—going 6-3 so far away from Camden Yards. One of their unexpected heroes is Trey "Don't Call Me Henry" Mancini—who leads the team with 4 HRs. Catcher Wellington Castillo leads the team in hitting with a .326 average—and Adam Jones is (as usual) just plain consistently good on both sides of the ball. Dylan Bundy and old friend Wade Miley have been the best starters—although the mercurial Ubaldo Jimenez has been better of late as well. This next stretch of games—especially against the Birds—may be very telling.

REPORT: Craig Kimbrel Dealt With Finger Problem In '16

(USAToday Sports)

According to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com, Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel was dealing with more than a knee injury in his first Boston season. Before he went down with knee surgery, he suffered an injury to his right index finger—sometime in late April of 2016. While the public didn't know about the injury, the team coaching and medical staff were aware of it. During the rehab period for his knee, he worked to make sure that his healing finger was not causing bad mechanical habits. Despite this, he did admit that there were times that the finger made him "yank the ball" because of release point issues.

Former Red Sox Pitcher Gary Peters Turns 80 Today

Gary Peters

In the far distant past—when most World Series rings were still minted in New York—Gary Peters pitched three years for the Red Sox. While he made his reputation pitching 11 seasons for the Other Hose in Chicago, he came to Boston at age 33—with something still left in the tank. He had two outstanding years for The Carmine Hose—winning 16 games in 1970 and 14 in 1971. Both seasons, Boston finished in third place—under the 'brilliant' managerial reign of Eddie Kasko. But Peters did his part (including 19 RBIs in 1971). Today, he turns 80 years old—Happy birthday, Gary!

Bogaerts Is 'Day-To-Day' After Injuring Thumb In Slide

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts is 'day-to-day' after injuring his left thumb on a slide into second base yesterday—after knocking in the go-ahead run in the 9th inning. After the game, he underwent tests on the thumb, but they were inconclusive enough that he may miss some time. Stay tuned.

Travis Shaw Has Two Fewer HRs Than Red Sox Team

Maybe someday, Tyler Thornburg will pitch for the Red Sox and we can gauge the trade that sent Travis Shaw to Milwaukee to get him. Right now, it's seems pretty imbalanced. Shaw is on an extra-base tear for The Brew Crew, despite hitting just .254. So far, he has five home runs, seven doubles and a triple in sixteen games. The entire Red Sox team has 7 HRs so far. His three-run HR last night propelled the Brewers to a 7-5 win. His 458-foot monster shot to RF is the 4th-longest by a Brewer in the 'Statcast™' era and the eighth-longest by any player since 2015. Impressive.

Chris Sale Sues For Non-Support, Sox Win Anyway, 4-1

(AP Photo)

Someday, the Boston Red Sox will score runs for Chris Sale. That day has not yet arrived. The Boston lefty twirled eight shutout innings today—striking out thirteen Jays—and came away with a no decision. He was in line for the "W", as Xander Bogaerts delivered a clutch, two-out RBI single in the top of the ninth, putting Boston up, 1-0. Then, on his second pitch of the bottom of the ninth inning, "closer" Craig Kimbrel coughed up a game-tying HR. In the 10th, the heroics fell to Mookie Betts—who had previously struck out twice in the game. Betts ripped a two-out double down the left-field line that scored three runs. Kimbrel came back out in the 10th to nail down the win, 4-1.

First Game At Fenway Park Was 105 Years Ago Today

One hundred and five years ago today (Saturday April 20, 1912), Boston's American League franchise played its first game ever at Fenway Park. Of course, they beat the New York Highlanders (later to become the Yankees), 7-6 in 11 innings. Attendance that first day was 27,000. Naturally, there were two rain delays before the contest could start—hey, it's Boston in April. CF Tris Speaker went 3-6 in the game, and knocked in two runs. All in all, a propitious start for the new ball yard.

Jon Lester Will Not Start For Cubbies At Fenway Park

(FenwayNation Photo)

Due to a Cubs rotation shuffle yesterday, Red Sox fans will not get to see Jon Lester pitch next week at Fenway Park. Lester will now start this Friday against the Reds and then again on April 26th against the Pirates. The World Series Champion Cubbies come to Boston for a series starting on Friday, April 28th running through Sunday the 30th. This series will mark the first time Lester has been back at Fenway since he was traded in 2014. During his nine-year tenure in Carmine Hose, Lester was 110-63 (.636 winning percentage). From 2007-2013, he also pitched in 13 post-season games for Boston.

Price Suffers Another Rehab Setback, Elbow Soreness

Red Sox manager John Farrell admitted on Thursday that starting pitcher David Price is experiencing "soreness" in his injured left elbow. The team has slowed Price's rehab process to a virtual crawl—for example, he played "long toss" this morning at SkyDome (whoopee!). Clearly, the crack Red Sox medical team has no clue when the lefty will join the rotation—the earlier May assessment is now realistically June, at the earliest. Red Sox fans may quickly have to get used to the idea of no Price at all for the 2017 season.

Curious 2017 Red Sox Are Hitting But Not Really Scoring

A fascinating trend is emerging for the 2017 Carmine Hose. They are leading the American League in batting average and on-base percentage—but they have a run differential of "0" (i.e, they've scored exactly as many runs as they've given up). They're scoring 4.3 runs per game—which isn't horrible—but they've had too many games like last night's where they just can't seem to cross the plate at all. They've gotten some great pitching performances—particularly from Chris Sale—but given him very little run support. Even Rick Porcello—who finally looked somewhat like the 2016 Cy Young winner yesterday—got nothing from his offense. What the heck is going on? Part of the problem is their relatively low slugging percentage—ranked just eighth in the AL (.398). And, of course, they are dead last in the AL in home runs (7)—even though they lead the AL in doubles (32). Weird. So, it seems that this "power outage" (an extra-base hit drought beyond doubles) may be the big culprit. Does the name David Ortiz ring a bell?

Holt Gets LF Start In Today's Rubber Match In Toronto

Here is today's Red Sox lineup for their "get-away" game in Toronto—or as it's referred to in Canada, the "get-ooot" game: Dustin Pedroia 2B, Andrew Benintendi CF, Mookie Betts RF, Hanley Ramirez DH, Mitch Moreland 1B, Xander Bogaerts SS, Pablo Sandoval 3B, Sandy Leon C, Brock Holt LF. On the hill for The Carmine Hose will be ace lefty Chris Sale.

Red Sox Have No 'Margin For Error', Fall To Jays, 3-0

(AP Photo)

Rick Porcello was not Cy Young-sharp, but his corner infielders were no Gold Glovers either. Both Pablo Sandoval and Mitch Moreland committed egregious errors in the second inning—leading to three unearned Toronto runs in a 3-0 Boston loss. Porcello ended up going seven full innings—walking none and striking out five. But that three-run inning was the killer. Boston managed just six hits—two from the errant Panda. What else can you say? Eduardo Rodriguez returned to deliver a clean inning in relief. But bad loss, no biscuit.

Muddy Chicken Is Back Atop Tonight's Red Sox Lineup

Here is tonight's Red Sox lineup as they take to the field again in The Great White North: Dustin Pedroia 2B, Andrew Benintendi CF, Mookie Betts RF, Hanley Ramirez DH, Mitch Moreland 1B, Xander Bogaerts SS, Chris Young LF, Pablo Sandoval 3B, Sandy Leon C. Rick Porcello will take the hill for The Carmine Hose.

Hanley Ramirez Gets Ready For Some 'Pretzel Logic'

Next Wednesday, April 26th, is National Pretzel Day. We thought you'd want to know. And so does Hanley Ramirez. Hanley will be a spokesperson for the day—along with other MLB players like Adam Jones and Albert Pujols—posting pretzel-related things on their Instagram and Twitter accounts. Snyder's of Hanover—the nation's #1 pretzel-maker—will take the lead on the celebration. Here at FenwayNation we will definitely be celebrating the event, considering how integral pretzels are to the ballpark experience. Crunch away!

POLL: More Than Three-Quarters Say Mitch Top Surprise

Early results to our latest FenwayNation Poll show that more than three-quarters of our readers (77%) think Mitch Moreland—AKA "Mitchy Two Bags"—is the most pleasant Red Sox surprise of 2017. As the chart shows, Christian Vazquez finishes a far distant second (11%), followed by Andrew Benintendi at 5%, and Joe Kelly and Chris Young at 2% each. Another 2% cite "other" players than those listed in the poll. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

POLL: Most Pleasant Surprise Of 2017 Sox Season?

Who is the most pleasant surprise so far on the 2017 Red Sox?

Matt Barnes

Andrew Benintendi

Joe Kelly

Mitch Moreland

Ben Taylor

Chris Young

Christian Vazquez

OTHER (specify in comments section)

 

pollcode.com free polls

Be Part Of A New PBS Documentary On Ted Williams

Editor-In-Chief With David Ortiz At Fenway

A new documentary is in the works about 'the greatest hitter who ever lived'—Red Sox legend Ted Williams. A consortium that includes Major League Baseball, Big Papi Productions, Al Tapper Productions and Nick Davis Productions is offering opportunities to become a fiscal supporter of this effort—through a fully tax-deductible contribution. The film is on track to be aired on the PBS American Masters series in 2018—the 100th anniversary of Ted's birth. FenwayNation was lucky enough to attend a promotional event at Fenway last night in support of the documentary—with David Ortiz present. There are a wide range of options for supporting this project—if you are interested, or would like more information, please contact Nick Paleologos via email at napssp@gmail.com.

Red Sox Barely Eek Out 8-7 Win In The Great White North

(AP Photo)

It was a laugher until it was a squeaker. With an 8-4 lead and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, this looked like a nice easy win for The Carmine Hose. Then Matt Barnes—who has been great lately—imploded. Walk, defensive indifference (or at least willful ignorance), single, HR—one-run game. Barnes did get the final out and Brian Johnson got his first MLB victory in the 8-7 win. The Red Sox smacked out 15 hits—including the first home run of the year for Mookie Betts. In addition to Mookie's three hits, multiple-hit games came from: Xander Bogaerts (2), Andrew Benintendi (2), Mitch Moreland (3), and Pablo Sandoval (3). This win was all the sweeter considering they beat the Jays' 'stud'—Marcus Stroman. At 9-5, Boston is in a virtual three-way tie at the top of the division.

Mookie's 'No-K' Streak More Impressive In Strikeout Era

Red Sox right-fielder Mookie Betts has not struck out in 123 straight regular-season plate appearances. Think about that. In an era where strikeouts are more common than pant-waist alterations for Kim Jong-un, the Mook-Ster just doesn't whiff. He last struck out on September 12, 2016 against the Orioles—28 games ago. And he's not an overly aggressive hitter either—22 of his 45 plate appearances have gone to two strikes. Interestingly, when strikeout rates rise, so do home runs. So, maybe it isn't surprising that Mookie has not gone 'yard' yet this season. But who cares? It's his hand-eye coordination that allow him to avoid Ks so assiduously—so the HRs and extra-base-hits will come. In the meantime, we can marvel at a no-K streak for the ages.

MLB May 'Mic-Up' Umpires To 'Explain' Replay Decisions

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Major League Baseball is considering a plan to allow umpiring crew chiefs to wear microphones to explain replay rulings. One proposed schedule would start the process at this year's All-Star Game, refine it for the balance of the season, and implement it fully in the 2017 post-season. Red Sox pitcher David Price is not convinced that the new plan will speed up the game any, "It’ll take more time. It’s not going to make them any shorter." The NFL-style process still needs the sign-off of the umpire's union—which is in the middle of a 5-year labor agreement. Stay tuned!