Ramirez No Charlie Hustle
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by Niteowl049
Baseball Notebook
Ramirez No Charlie Hustle
Manny Ramirez will never have to worry about being called Charlie Hustle. He proved it once again last night in the Red Sox's 7-1 win over the Indians. When David Ortiz scores from first on what should have been a double for Ramirez and Ramirez only gets as far as first base something is dreadfully wrong with that picture.
If Ramirez even thinks a ball is going out of the park he is going to take his time leaving home plate. When a ball is hit that is questionable a player needs to run full speed till an umpire signals a home run but Manny doesn't believe in running full speed unless he wants to run full speed. Earlier this year he was admiring what he thought was a home run and barely made it into second base when the ball stayed in the park.
Am not saying Ramirez is not a good player but he could be an even better player if he hustles like his teammates do. If Ortiz can run from first to home with his injuries then the least Ramirez can do is at least make it to second base.
Beckett-Lofton Confrontation
When Kenny Lofton laid his bat down on what he thought was ball four he was not showing up Josh Beckett but showing up the home plate umpire. Beckett though took it personally and apparently was mouthing off to Lofton and continued to mouth off to Lofton. The way Beckett was pitching he didn't need to worry about small stuff like that. Plus he did get Lofton to fly out so that should have been the end of it but he continued to berate Lofton and eventually Lofton had enough of it and said something to Beckett on his way to the dugout. In my book Beckett started the whole situation. I have not seen a pitcher react to a batter laying his bat down thinking it was ball four the way Beckett did last night.
Momentum Swinging Back to Red Sox
Last night, you could feel the momentum swinging back for the Red Sox. When a team scores their only run on a double play ball, they have had a bad night and that is precisely how the Indians scored their only run of the night. The Indians, for the second time in the series, could not solve the brilliant pitching of Beckett. C.C. Sabathia pitched better than last time, but still gave up 4 runs and 10 hits in 6 innings and his LCS ERA stands at 10.45 while Beckett struck out 11 batters in winning his third game of the postseason without a loss and showed again why he is the best pitcher in baseball. His postseason ERA this season is 1.17 and he has struck out 26 in 23 innings while allowing 13 hits and has walked only one batter.
With the two teams returning to Boston and Curt Schilling on the hill against Fausto Carmona on Saturday night a Red Sox win will even the series and give fans something we haven't seen in awhile a seven game LCS series. Since the Indians scored 7 runs in the 11th inning the momentum had shifted to the Indians but now I think with the Red Sox returning home they once again in the driver's seat and could be on their way to their second LCS championship in the last four years. But all that is in the hands of Carmona and Schilling since the Indians still do not have to win on Saturday night but they better win if they want to return to World Series for first time since 1995 and 1997.
The Red Sox have the top three hitters in either league during the LCS with Ramirez hitting .471, Kevin Youkilis hitting .421 and David Ortiz hitting .400. The next closest hitter to those three hitters is Brad Hawpe hitting .333.
The Red Sox are still getting no production from Coco Crisp Julio Lugo, and Jason Varitek, as they are hitting .143, .167, and .211 respectfully. Despite his average, Varitek has produced some offense for the Red Sox, as he has hit a home run and has drove in 4 runs. Crisp, Lugo, and Varitek, altogether, combine for a 10 for 58 LCS.
The worst hitters for the Indians are Travis Hafner and Franklin Gutierrez, who are 5 for 34 in the LCS with Hafner hitting .158 and Gutierrez hitting .133.
Note: Am leaving for a short trip to Louisiana today so won't be making any posts till Wednesday the day the World Series opens.
