Because most of the Red Sox were not available, including Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling, who were flying somewhere over the mid-west about the time last night’s game started, I wasn’t able to get to your questions.
Trust me, I have them and will be looking for more. The best time for questions with players, coaches and club personnel will probably be on off days and early pre-game.
Back to the job at hand, here are a few observations tonight at the park:
1. Everyone’s eyes were on the Yankees.
With some the TVs staying with the Yankees-Indians games inside the press box, a horde of about 80 media members watched the ending of that game, instead, of the Sox-Indians.
While the Sox were in midst of blowing a 2-0 lead, seeing the Angels go ahead 3-2, the score was posted on the scoreboard. You’d have thought somebody had hit a home run at Fenway when the score, Indians 2, Yankees 1, was posted.
2. If Dice-K doesn’t improve off his early performance last night, that saw him struggle to 69 pitches through three innings, it makes you wonder what is in store. The Angels lineup is not anything close the Yankees, and about two levels below the gritty Indians. This was a big day for Dice-K, setting himself and the Sox up for some good days ahead in October. As of now, it doesn’t look good.
3. J.D. Drew’s two-run single in the first inning was a breath of fresh air. It by no means gets him off the hook in terms of “clutch hitting” and production, but it’s a start. With Coco Crisp and Julio Lugo both striking out in the first inning, and looking the part, one of those three needs to play a pivotal role in the back of the lineup.
4. Red Sox manager Terry Francona was asked about the “problem” he might have if Dice-K went deep into the game, thus meaning a second straight game with little to no pitching for his bullpen. “That would be great. If that were the case we could come up with a simulated game so fast it will make your head spin … Pap and Oki threw the other night (in the bullpen) and got hot. That will be the least of our problems … That would be a great perceived problem to have.”
5. The early play of the game was by Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis in the top of the fourth inning, stealing a potential double by Angels leadoff hitter Chone Figgins. He dove to his right, toward second base, and snatched the hard hit grounder before getting up and beating Figgins to first base. It saved Dice-K, who had a man on first, a long, long inning.
6. Angels Game 3 pitcher Jered Weaver decided to stay with the team instead of going to Anaheim. This is in contrast to what the Red Sox did, sending Schilling and Beckett to the airport this afternoon, to get their early. “(We) got a big press conference tomorrow at 2 p.m. that we want Schill there for.”
Angels manager Mike Scioscia said they thought about it but Weaver wanted to stay with the team and instead fly home with the team after tonight’s game. With the day off on Saturday, he didn’t think it was a big deal.
“Hopefully, he’ll get some sleep on the plane and then rest during the day,” said Scioscia. “I
I’ll try to get you some more stuff near the end of the game or until something “worthy” happens.
