Game time: 7:05 pm

Scheduled starters: Julian Tavarez (2-4, 5.59) v. Mike Mussina (2-2, 5.64)


The game will be on NESN.

New York Weather:

1 pm observation at KLGA: Wind out of the northeast at 12 mph, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 5,500 feet, 25,000 broken, temperature 68F, DP 38F

Forecast: Another perfect night for baseball. It will be cool, but pleasant, with a light wind out of the southeast, which is blowing in from right.

I hope this is the game that Julian proves the doubters (me) wrong.

I'll be sitting in the upper-deck for tonight's game, and I'm disappointed the Sox bumped Schilling back to tomorrow and I get Tavarez, who Posada and Abreu destroy; against Mussina, of whom Lowell is the only one with decent numbers.


Here's to the HUGE upset (I hope)!

I'm going tonight also. I'm hoping for a competitive night out of Tavarez.

Not sure where to put this, but just heard Tito on Mike & the Mad Dog. I missed the beginning, but here's a summary...

Crisp - Playing great defense. Slow start offensively, got banged up but very confident now and batting probably .290 in last X at-bats (missed that number). Coming together as an all-around player.

Lester - Three more firm starts scheduled for AAA. Fourth one will be June 10th and at that point the "shackles will be off" and they'll be in position to evaluate where and when he pitches from there.

Matsuzaka - Had some bumps in the road early, was pitching too carefully with leads in some early games and out of the stretch. Has worked very hard, made a lot of adjustments. Many baseball and cultural differences between US and Japan and the team has tried to accommodate (pitch count, days btwn starts). He's handling the differences better than expected and we're starting to see the fruits of his labor now.

Building on AL East lead - Team approach has been to "get consumed" with each particular series. Atlanta, NY, Texas, etc. This keeps them from getting too up and down or worried about standings, etc. Just concerned about the Yankees right now.

Beckett - Played catch today without a Band-Aid and looked good. Will be back and start on May 29th.

Collapse at end of last year vs. hot start this year - Last year hit team hard, "we couldn't answer things that were thrown at us." No apologies for this year's start, playing good ball.

Unsung heroes - Lowell playing great in 6 hole. Youkilis working on going to opposite field and becoming complete hitter.

Mike Francesa said he hopes the Sox get out of NY before Manny wakes up. Tito said he hopes they get out before Yankee bats wake up, but may be too late....

I have been in Chicago all day. I have seen more Yankee hats than I could imagine. Let's roll and put these boys back on the Jones Koolaid parade.

Today also happens to be Julian Tavarez's 34th birthday. Feliz cumpleanos, amigo. Go get 'em.

05/22 17:47:22 ET

I really hope Julian has another good start.. the guy is growing on me. Not only on the field but just as a person. He has a personality that fits well on the Red Sox.

A text message to my wife(a MFY fan): "Rumors of Manny's demise have been greatly exaggerated. Tonight you shall see."


Reply: "Whatever!"


I'm feeling it. Go !

Well, everything figures to be in the Yank's favor tonight... so probably a Sox win.

Dear Julian,

Please don't suck. You did decent last time and proved me wrong for once in a blue moon. I'm drinking, relaxing, and don't want to throw shit at my projection TV.

K thx.

- RSN

Do you really think Tavarez is checking internet message boards 20 minutes before his start?

...hopefully Schill will relay the message...

The key is jumping on Mussina early and getting JT some wiggle room to work with....this is not old dominant Mike Mussina...he has yet to find a groove this year and is pitching on the dreaded extra day's rest that he hates so much. Get him out by the 5th and kill that middle relief.

Okajima and Paps are ready to take an 8th inning lead and close this one out.

Come on Alskor, it's symbolic.





Lets whoop some New York pinstripe ass!

Chanting of Wife Beater is classy, this isnt the Celtics game, we cant chant that at Jason Kidd..Lugo isnt even funny

I see forseeable bullshit in the near future with this umpire.

Moose is sure bringing the low 80's heat tonight, isnt he?

Yoooooooooook

Moose isn't lookin' real sharp.
This is good news.

F'ing pound this Manny, come on, lets get this game in hand and just pound em.

It'd be nice to see Manny and JD turn it around right here.

Oh yeah, Youk should have struck out, Lugo shouldnt have IMHO. So at least its going both ways...

GONE!

and now Drew......

There we go BIG BOY!

THAT SWING IS SO ****ing AWESOME.

I havent seen Manny with that swing yet this year... that's how you know he is dead set locked in... very level swing, he stays balanced, and the ball looks like it goes straight up in the air off his bat...

Great swing by Manny. I hope this gets him going.

Manny, he is good.

Yah I called that Manny HR, Mussina sucks so much, we need to pile on and just bury him.

Can't have it all..haha.

I think Moose looked great against Lugo and Youk, but when he stopped getting that low strike called he got frustrated... he didnt want to try to go any higher and catch the bottom of the strikezone, so he started to nibble and fall behind everybody.

24 FOREVER

so far, so good....

This is all moot if Tavarez doenst pitch like last game...give him a big lead and I wont be worrying as much

I really hope this early rally makes Julian pitch like he did last time..

Hilarious! On the bottom line NESN is telling you to stay tuned and they will bring you the results of the NBA draft lottery as soon as it happens... Nice try, guys...

Welcome to the boards "Yoook".

I know when to go with my gut.

Thanks.
Making moose throw 30+ pitches in the first inning is lookin' good.

Moose hasn't made it out of the sixth inning yet this year. We get to beat up on the bullpen soon!

Let's go Julian..

clap, clap, clap clap clap.

Haha.

Maybe they should start calling him "Rocket, Jr."?

What are you, new?

And I thought Manny was all done, Tito was an idiot and the Sox weren't that good (or at least thats what I learned last night during the game).

I want to believe and I will believe that "JD" stands for John Dorian, MD.

That was an excellent first inning by Tavarez.

I want the Red Sox to sweep the leg on Mussina in the next frame.

Actually baseballreference has it as "David Jonathan Drew"... so... they reversed it for some reason, anyway...

He's from Georgia...

HE WILL BE JOHN DORIAN IF YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!

Mussina looks like someone just took a s*** in his locker.

Why was A-Rod playing so shallow?