Game time: 7:05 pm PDT, 10:05 pm EDT

Scheduled starters: Josh Beckett (13-8, 5.35) v. Jered Weaver (9-0, 1.95)

Anaheim weather: Noon PDT (3 pm EDT) observation at SNA: Wind out of the south southwest at 12 mph, visibility 9 miles, sky clear, temperature 76F, DP 63F.

Forecast: It will be clear today, with light winds out of the south to southwest, becoming cloudy and cool this evening, with no rain in sight.

The wind will be blowing OUT toward left center/center.

I want to wish the boys good luck again today. I'm repackaging my anger into something more positive: well wishes. Go team!

It would be nice to see the Sox give Weaver his first loss, wouldn't it?

Why does that not give me the warm and fuzzies with Beckett on the mound?

Beckett is due. Last five games, 3 losses and 2 no decisions.

Due for what? 15 walks?

Now now.

I'll shut up now.

Go Sox!

Because the Angels are 12th in the AL in home runs? That's enough to put fear in the heart of any pitcher.

Manny Ramirez will not play tonight and is not taking batting practice with the team.

Tonight's Red Sox lineup

Crisp CF
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Youkilis 1B
Hinske RF
Lowell 3B
Pena LF
Cora SS
Mirabelli C

-- Beckett P

Loretta out of the lineup again.

Loretta and Manny to sit again,

the injuries continue although an MRI on Manny's knee came back negative, it is diagnosed at Patella tendonitis. Loretta is nursing a sore quad.

One good thing about the lineup tonight is Mirabelli is catching Beckett, could another shutout be on its way?

edit: yes kyle i need to lay off the

Beckett?

Were you ?

Wow. Varitek, Nixon, Gonzalez, Manny and Loretta all injured. Orty, Youk and Lowell hangin in there.

Holy shit. Tito is demonstrating some level of competency with the personnel in the lineup. God hope Kapler never starts again vs. RHP, but I think that's a stretch.

[codebox]Boston LA Angels
------ ---------

Pos Player HR RBI AVG. Pos Player HR RBI AVG.
--- ------ -- --- ---- --- ------ -- --- ----
CF Crisp, Coco 6 27 .271 CF Figgins, Chone 6 45 .266
2B Pedroia, Dustin 0 0 .143 3B Izturis, Maicer 5 31 .305
DH Ortiz, David 45 119 .285 SS Cabrera, Orlando 8 61 .287
1B Youkilis, Kevin 13 65 .290 RF Guerrero, Vladimir 27 99 .322
RF Hinske, Eric 0 0 .265 DH Anderson, Garret 12 69 .278
3B Lowell, Mike 14 60 .285 LF Rivera, Juan 21 70 .302
LF Pena, Wily Mo 11 38 .305 1B Kendrick, Howie 1 17 .307
SS Cora, Alex 0 14 .278 2B Kennedy, Adam 2 41 .256
C Mirabelli, Doug 6 20 .196 C Napoli, Mike 13 33 .231
P Beckett, Josh (13-8, 5.35) P Weaver, Jered (9-0, 1.95)[/codebox]


08/24 21:18:29 ET

Any update on AGon? Not that I mind Cora at all.

Gonzalez is on the 15-day DL and won't be able to come off until Sept. 3.

He's been due all year.

BTW:

Hanley 32.7
Anibal Sanchez 15.7

Lowell 13.7
Beckett 10

Those are their respective VORPS on the season. But don't worry Lowell plays GG defense and is worth his $9M. Great trade though because we'll be better in the short term and guys we traded were "just" prospects. </rant>

Sorry just needed to get that off my chest since I've hated the deal since day 1 and the reply I always got was that they were just prospects and Beckett beat the Yankees in the WS once.

And away we go... PLAY BALL!

So far, we're following the blueprint. Coco swinging at everything and popping out to shallow center.

Oh man that first pitch to Papi was a big, fat meatball

Dang... another meatball.

That's what we get when we have Youk behind papi

1st BB and counting

Did that last pitch hit the corner? Looked outside to me.

Ok... we're on a roll!

Nuts!

Could anyone else with the FSN West feed hear Hinske say "****!"

I heard it clear as a bell on NESN. Nice.

Clear as a bell on NESN, thought it was a little league game for a second.

Uh-oh! Vlad gets nailed.

NO way did that just happen!

Nice job calling for the ball, Figgins. Was fun to watch, though.

Why couldn't WMP just strike out like usual?

I mean, this is the most extreme flyball guy around, and we give him a groundball in that situation?

Plus, all the other outs have been flyballs (and the hit by Youks, and the hit by Lowell)...

I think Weaver really sucks actually...

Nice play by Cora

He looks hittable, yet everyone seems to hit lazy fly balls off him and very few line drives.

3 curveballs in a row? Mixing it up? Is this Josh Beckett, I mean the real one?

There's been an APB out on the real one for quite a while. If you see him, be sure to call the tip line.

This is unbelievable. Weaver can't get guys to chase his off-speed stuff, so he just throws his fastball down the middle to get guys out.

Straight ball I hit it very much, curve ball--bats are afraid. I ask Jobu to come, take fear from bats. I offer him cigar and rum. He will come.

Figgins is going to steal 2nd, and probably 3rd.

they're not making Beckett work too hard which is a pleasant surprise - let's hope he avoids his usual one inning implosion

Beckett is looking GOOD. I almost cannot believe it, but he is looking good, and has now 11 shutout IP with Mirabelli catching him.

Weaver on the other hand is getting hit cleanly, but balls always seem to find an outfielder. 1 groundball and 7 flyballs so far for him.

EDIT: Weaver at 53 after 3 IP, even though Crisp had really quick AB's - can't he EVER take?

Goodbye!

Ortiz has superpowers... he heard the FSN guys talk about who's going to win the HR race and answered loud and clear.

Finally a flyball that carries!

Man, that was close! Go Hinske!!!

UPDATE - I think I jinxed him

at this pace they are going to have Weaver out of the game after the 5th, they are just ripping balls off of him.

Beckett has been great so far. Can he also hold on to the lead? We're about to find out...

but I certainly hope so...

EDIT: Weaver 71 through 4, Beckett 32 through 3.

Otherwise known as the "Josias Manzanillo maneuver"...

Wow, first a hot-shot, then a brokent bat! Nice play by Pedrioa, too.

Got range?

This is the Josh Beckett we traded for.

4 pitch inning for Beckett, do I dare say he is finally rising up from rock bottom?

4 pitch fourth! 36 pitches through 4 IP for Beckett.

Oh, if only we could smack Weaver a little more, this would be PERFECT.

Beckett is has taken some velocity off the fast ball and kept it down, resulting in lots of ground balls. Has he finally grasped the concept of pitching?