Game time: 7:05 pm

Scheduled starters: Tim Redding v. David Wells

The game will be on WSBK


Boston weather: 3 pm observation at BOS: 15,000 feet scattered, visibility 10 miles, temperature 75F, DP 64F, wind out of the east southeast at 17 mph.

Forecast: Warm and humid, with an east wind, becoming south later in the evening. With the wind off the water, the temperature at BOS is about 5-10 degrees lower than it is inland at ORH, ORW, and BED. It may be a little warmer than 75F at Fenway.

An east wind is blowing in; a south wind would blow from right to left.

Anni

I am praying for some early runs and then I will white knuckle it the rest of the way.

P.S. I have changed my bedtime prayer. It goes as follows:

Now I lay me down to sleep.
If I die before I wake,
I pray the Lord,
the bullpen doesn't get raked.

Bad poem, dude. Bad!!!

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the lord the score to keep.
If our Sox die in innings late,
The dead bullpen has sealed our fate.

If they can't hit Tim Redding - I'm not sure I'd want to watch anymore games this year.

Yankees-Red Sox Preview

GAME: New York Yankees (47-40) at Boston Red Sox (49-39).

TIME: Friday, 7:05 p.m. EDT.

To say the New York Yankees' rotation is in disarray is putting it mildly.

One day after being forced to put yet another starting pitcher on the disabled list, the Yankees will give the ball to unproven right-hander Tim Redding when they continue a four-game series with the archrival Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

With right-handers Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright and Kevin Brown already injured, the Yankees had to put impressive rookie Chien-Ming Wang on the DL on Thursday with an inflamed right shoulder and scratch him from Friday's scheduled start.

Redding will start instead, with Randy Johnson keeping his spot on Saturday. Sunday's starter will be determined by how the bullpen is used over the first two games against Boston, Yankees manager Joe Torre said.

Wang is 6-3 with a 3.89 ERA in 13 starts this season. He was scheduled to be examined by Dr. James Andrews in Alabama on Monday.

''It was totally a surprise,'' Torre said. ''Stuff you can't control, you can't get all caught up in. I really don't get bothered about it, other than to feel bad for the kid.''

Redding, acquired with left-hander Darrell May on July 2 from San Diego in exchange for right-hander Paul Quantrill, struggled with the Padres this season, going 0-5 with a 9.10 ERA in nine appearances, including six starts.

The 27-year-old right-hander made one start for Triple-A Columbus, allowing two runs and six hits over five innings in a win over Norfolk on July 7, before getting word he'd be joining the Yankees and pitching in the middle of the biggest rivalry in baseball.

The latest series between the longtime rivals got off to an entertaining start Thursday as the Yankees battled back from a first-inning, four-run deficit to beat the Red Sox 8-6 on Alex Rodriguez's two-run home run off new Boston closer Curt Schilling in the top of the ninth.

With the win, New York moved within 1 1/2 games of first-place Boston in the AL East. The Yankees have won eight of their last nine, while the Red Sox have dropped four of five and are just 4-7 in July.

David Ortiz went 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs on Thursday for the Red Sox.

Ortiz, who is tied with Manny Ramirez for the team lead with 22 homers, is hitting .366 (15-for-41) with three homers, 10 RBIs and 10 runs scored against the Yankees this season. In 62 career regular season games against New York, Ortiz is batting .323 with 14 homers and 44 RBIs.

Johnny Damon's first-inning bloop single Thursday extended his hitting streak to 26 games.

STANDINGS: Yankees - 3rd place, 1 1/2 GB, AL East. Red Sox - 1st place, AL East.

YANKEES PROBABLE STARTER: Redding (no record). Redding went 21-33 with a 5.04 ERA in 100 career appearances, including 78 starts, with Houston and San Diego since 2001. He is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in one career start against the Red Sox.

RED SOX PROBABLE STARTER: David Wells (6-5, 5.00 ERA). The 42-year-old left-hander is 0-1 with a 6.11 ERA in three starts since enjoying a five-start unbeaten streak in which he went 4-0 with a 2.55 ERA. Wells allowed three runs and five hits over six innings in a 3-1 loss to Baltimore on July 7. Wells, who pitched for the Yankees from 1997-98 and 2002-03, is 17-9 with two saves and a 3.02 ERA in 41 career appearances, including 28 starts, against New York.

OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Yankees - Rodriguez, .319 avg., 24 HRs and 74 RBIs; Derek Jeter, 69 runs; Tony Womack, 20 SBs. Red Sox - Damon, .341 avg., 66 runs and 10 SBs; Ramirez and Ortiz, 22 HRs; Ramirez, 80 RBIs.

SEASON SERIES: Tied, 5-5.

STREAKS AND NOTES: Yankees - Torre said Brown (back) could be back next week, Pavano (shoulder) is a couple of weeks away and Wright (shoulder) might be ready to pitch in the majors next month. ... 3B Rodriguez is a career .355 hitter (22-for-62) with seven homers and 17 RBIs against LHP Wells. ... 1B Jason Giambi is hitting .522 (12-for-23) with six home runs and 11 RBIs during his eight-game hitting streak. Red Sox - OF Damon is hitting .345 (41-for-119) during his 26-game hitting streak. ... RHP Matt Mantei was scheduled to see a doctor and decide whether to have surgery on a strained ligament in his left ankle. ... SS Edgar Renteria is hitting .278 (5-for-18) with no RBIs against RHP Redding.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Yankees - 18-21 on the road; Red Sox - 24-15 at home.

INJURIES: RHP Wang (shoulder), 15-day DL; RHP Brown (back), 15-day DL; RHP Pavano (shoulder), 15-day DL; RHP Felix Rodriguez (knee), 15-day DL; RHP Wright (shoulder), 60-day DL; INF Rey Sanchez (back), 60-day DL. Red Sox - RHP Keith Foulke (knee), 15-day DL; RHP Mantei (ankle), 15-day DL.

¿Dónde está el mojo?

As my trig teacher once said 'cosecant ye shall find'...
Again, on behalf of NU50

Friday, July 15, 2005
**MOJO** - Colors Day 1
For the new mojo, we turn to the spectrum of color. And the first color is a pretty easy one to guess.



Red. There are plenty of ways the color Red affects the Sox. There are the obvious ones:







[LooiesWindup edit]: Red is Tessie after that last pic
However, mojo is also a subtle thing. So here are some of the more abstract ways Red can help the red sox get a victory tonight.



The bullpen has been struggling (again), so a little help putting out those fires with men on base I think is in order.




Redheads. I wanted to post an image of the redheaded ball girl the Sox employ, but apparently even the internet has limits. But with redheads normally associated with Ireland, the Sox could use a little "Luck of the Irish". Speaking of which...




Red balloons are a staple of any balanced breakfast. Well, a breakfast that has been balanced by magic, anyway.



How about a little spice to perk up the offense. These little bad boys should do just the trick to get the offense in gear. And given not only the Red Sox blue collar reputation, but also our choice of starting pitcher for the day, I think a little red meat mojo is in order as well:



Help with today's mojo by getting your own 72 ounce steak in only 72 hours here. Make sure to wear red, have a meal with red meat and a side of red potatoes, wash that down with a Killian's Irish Red, or maybe a Strawberry or Raspberry margarita. Making sure you "read" this was a pretty good start.

Thanks LW for the timely post assist. And just because I like you all, here's a little extra RED mojo.



Here's to Wells emulating the Red Baron today, for the Red Baron is an ace who makes his opponents crash and burn.

Let's hope Wells can focus the anger about his insane suspensions towards the Yankees and we don't have a need for our new "closer".

Unfortunately, we usually SUCK against rookie pitchers just up from AAA

We can be thankful that he is a 'proven' veteran, then.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/redditi01.shtml

Redding isn't a rookie though. He's a 27-year-old journeyman who has pitched for the Astros and Padres.

I'm going for a change of pace tonight, unlike my co-mojoer NU. Just put together a quick poem on tonight....because, well, I'm bored. So...yeah.

Tonight I feel that its' the time
For me to give out a nice quick rhyme
Right now I have nothing better to do
So I hope that you enjoy this too
David Wells on the mound today
His gut as big as the statements he say
Sometimes he's good, sometimes he's bad
If hes the former, I'll be really glad
A little rhyme for our boys in red
Hopefully they'll leave these Yankees dead
May the Sox just win, any which way they can do
Here's some suggestions, from me to you
May the RISP be scored, may the RBIs be high
May the grounders go by, may the homers just fly
May the defense be top notch, no errors this game
May the bullpen pitch well, and show no shame
If in case there's brawling, may it be won by them
And please, for the love of God, let Wells pitch a gem
Just some quick rhymes, for tonight's game at hand
So let's just play ball, and may the umpiring be grand
It's time to show these Yankees whose boss
Let's do it tonight, and get that point across
And that's the end of this rhyming ordeal
Now let's watch the Red Sox win, and keep it real

Now lets pound Redding

Boomer's off to a good start. Jeter and Cano fan the breeze, Shefroids flies out to Damon. Easy inning, low pitch count. Looies likey. Jump on 'em batsmen.

[edit]-11 pitches, 9 for strikes. checking via gamecast, but it looks like Boomer's doing his Cap'n Hook imitation...

27

WWJDD is at 27 w/ single to right!
Ka-CHING!! Let's bring him on in...

Egdah walks-2 course meal set up for Papi.

yay trot!!

Papi whiffs swinging, Manny whiffs, waita sec, is this another AAA/journeyman reject channeling his inner Cy Young?
C'mon Trot, bust 'em up like yesterday...

Tim Redding REALLY sucks.

Two on nobody out and Papi and Manny K. Little slice of the game tonight and enough to make you sick already.

But, then there's Trot!!!!!!!!!!He's on fire.

TROT!

Anybody with TV/MLB.tv, where was that? Gamecast had it in the stands but not a ground-rule double.

Get into the bullpen early, make them work

Yahoo's calling it a double to deep right.

You have to wonder sometimes, when someone is this inept at something, how do they make it through four years in the big leagues?

Why do you say that, I mean his career and stats say that, but...

Yeah, wasn't sure how deep... Trot seems to be hitting that area well thusfar.

TEK! Another professional double!

If you pay me the league minimum or whatever Redding gets, I could perform like this too.

Amen. 29 pitches through the first inning with Horny to lead off next inning. 29 is good, let's make it more next time!

Wanted Meuller to walk so Bellhorn could do something or get outta they way for next inning.

Hear ya as far as the K ratio goes, but Bellhorn is usually pretty patient with this kind of pitcher. (knocking on wood) Doesn't he also have the highest PS/PA on the team?

its so refreshing to see 1-2-3 innings from our pitcher

So glad to see the Yankees capitalizing on last night's game.

Hey, I'll take the leadoff walk without moving the bat.

Oh, goodie, May is ready to come in. Maybe if we're REALLY lucky, Proctor is next!

It looks like it worked out - if he had walked K-horn yanks would have brought on Groom- now bases are loaded- I'll take it

Be nice to see Manny hiy lefties better- oh! thanks, Jerry

Manny's timing is way off. This is the second straight at-bat this game where he has been late on weak ass fastballs.

EDIT: I gladly stand corrected. Was all over that inside fastball.

Kay is referring to May's "hard stuff" The guy throws about 85 mph. With Manny up, May might as well turn around and throw it into LF.

Can he even throw it as far as Manny hit it?

I ****ing give up.

HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa
HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa
HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa
HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa
HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa


---

That is all.

That was f**king hysterical. Cabrera is going to be optioned back after the weekend, and the look on Trot's face after he was winded was priceless.

Good point.

Honestly though, they MUST cut May and Redding. Two career awful pitchers. Everyone knew they offered nothing to this team, but we "had to get something for Quantrill"

ahh @#$*%*@&#*@$#$&*

WHY THE HELL AM I AT WORK RIGHT NOW?

That, I should have seen.

I will go home. NOW. And watch the game.

Hopefully we at least get a hit.

Well, I think the game is going well thus far. haha. I never expected an inside the park hr from Trot. I almost felt bad for the rookie Melky. Actually, I really didn't feel bad at all.

I can go to sleep now.