I feel a little badly for Javier Lopez

Let me explain.

I have a mild obsession with pitchers getting the last out of a playoff series. It was my great fantasy as a kid to be like Tug McGraw, arms up in the air, celebrating a last out.

And I like it when unlikely people get to have that honor. Usually it is the bullpen closer who does it. Last year Jason Motte was the closer for the Cardinals and threw the clinching pitch of the NLCS and World Series.

The year before Brian Wilson of the Giants was the closer and he did the honors in all three rounds of the post season. Mariano Rivera did so the year before. Brad Lidge the year before that.

If not a closer, then the other most common scenario has a starting pitcher throwing a complete game. We saw that with Justin Verlander and CC Sabathia in this year's Division Series. Jose Contreras closed out the 2005 ALCS for the White Sox. Josh Beckett went all nine to finish the 2003 World Series for the Marlins.

But every once in a while you get an unlikely guy to toss the final pitch. Usually it either happens in an extra inning game where the closer was already used (like Toronto's Mike Timlin clinching the 1992 World Series) or a middle reliever was very effective in a situation (like Ramiro Mendoza in the 1999 ALCS for the Yankees) or the closer is just gassed and they needed someone else (like Alan Embree giving Keith Foulke a break for the 2004 Red Sox in the ALCS.)

They are not common occurrences, but I love it when they happen.

So in the ninth inning during a monsoon, Javier Lopez was on the mound. He is usually a one batter relief specialist. He appeared in 70 games in 2012 and threw 36 innings. He rarely throws an entire inning and finished only 19 games with seven saves.

He usually does not get the glory. He has a thankless job of coming into the game, getting one batter out, and leaving.

So here was his chance to be on the mound when the Giants clinched. It would be an image of Lopez jumping in the air when they clinched. The team would run out and mob Lopez.

Like Timlin, Embree and Mendoza before him, this was going to be the signature moment of his career.

And he got two outs in the ninth inning, but walked Carlos Beltran.

Bochy came out and brought in his closer, Sergio Romo, who clinched the Division Series against the Reds.

I thought "Oh come on Bochy. Let Lopez face Matt Holliday. The worst thing that could happen is he hits a home run to make it 9-3. Give Lopez this moment to shine."

He took him out. Romo got the last out and the cool clip of dancing on the mound.

The Giants mobbed Romo and the celebration was on.

I do not know where Lopez was in that celebration. No doubt he was hugging and high fiving his teammates.

But if he got that last out, I would know exactly where he was, and so would the rest of the baseball world.

I called my dad last night and told him about my sympathy for Mr. Lopez.

"I wouldn't worry about him" my dad said. "If you came up to him, he'd show you his two World Series rings and say it was OK."

Maybe so. But he would have had a cool clip to go along with those rings.

  

The Javier Lopez - Brian Wilson win total challenge

The Giants very strange defense of their World Series title continued yesterday in San Diego. Once again a starting pitcher (this time Matt Cain) pitched well.

Once again the starting pitcher got a no decision and it went into extra innings.

Once again a reliever got the win.
I am convinced that Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, Ryan Vogelsong and Jonathan Sanchez will continue to put up wonderful numbers... except in the win column.

The Giants are going to win the West. Right now they are tied for the Phillies for the biggest lead in any Division. And the Giants rotation is the only one in baseball that can match up with the Phillies.

But I would LOVE to see the Giants finish the year with their aces winning 12-13 games, thus creating the illusion to those who just glance at the win-loss record that San Francisco's rotation is inferior.

Right now Brian Wilson has 6 wins, just 2 fewer than Cain and Lincecum.
Javier Lopez has 5 wins (including yesterday) and that is one behind Vogelsong.

I want Wilson and Lopez to each get to double digit wins. Preferably more than their All Star pitchers.

Imagine at the end of the year hearing "Brian Wilson led the team with 13 wins and Javier Lopez was second with 12. Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain had 11 wins. Ryan Vogelsong and Madison Bumgarner each had 10."

Then you get to smoke out which commentators are lazy and say "A down year for the Giants starters" etc.

Think that is crazy?
Have you been WATCHING the Giants?
Have you been noticed how many times the announcers say "A great start for [INSERT GIANTS STARTER HERE] but no run support"?
Have you seen how many games end with a mob at home plate after a walk off win?

Have 6 more walk offs go as wins for Brian Wilson... bam! There's 12 wins right there.
5 extra inning wins go to Lopez... and that's 10 for Lopez.

And that's 11 decisions NOT going to the rotation.
Throw in a fluke win here and a vulture win there and they could get up to 12-13 wins.

All that matters to a Giants fan is to pile up wins, no matter how odd they come about.
The Giants have played 15 extra inning games and 38 one run games.

So pile up the wins, Javier and Brian.
Lead the team... and make the other teams feel complacent

It's a hell of a way to defend a title.

I won't boo ANY member of the 2004 and 2007 Red Sox... not even these guys

When I wrote about how I would give Manny Ramirez an ovation if I were at Fenway (and I do cheer for Manny when I go the six miles from my house to Dodger Stadium) I got some people asking me privately (and someone asked on the site) would I also cheer for Johnny Damon.

Of course.
Both Manny and Johnny were big parts of the 2004 team that all of us Red Sox fans waited our whole lives for. And the make up of the 2004 team was NOT a bunch of home grown Red Sox who all played together in Pawtucket. The 1975, 1978 and 1986 Red Sox teams were primarily home grown.

With the exception of Youk, Nixon, Varitek and Lowe, none of them spent their rookie years with the Red Sox. And even Varitek and Lowe were actually originally drafted by Seattle.

Most of the 2004 squad were picked up from other teams and assembled like a baseball answer to The Dirty Dozen, slapped together for a crazy mission to reverse the curse.

So it is disingenuous to get mad when a mercenary leaves for more money. Pedro, Damon, Manny, Foulke, Schilling et al came to the Red Sox via free agency or forced trades to make dough.

When Pedro signed with the Mets, Damon signed with the Yankees and Manny forced the deal to LA, they were doing to us what they did to the Expos, A's and Indians before coming to Fenway.

I just say "thank you" and have them on their way.
And I have my policy... if you were on the Red Sox playoff rosters for 2004 or 2007 then I can not boo you.

But there are a few guys who test that theory... and it isn't Manny nor Damon.

There are 4 guys who at first make me want to boo... then I have to stop and say "But they helped the Sox win a ring" and reluctantly say "Oh alright. I won't boo."

They are...

RAMIRO MENDOZA, Relief Pitcher. 2004

He always felt like a Yankee mole, didn't he? I still remember him being on the mound in 1999, clinching the ALCS. (No offense to El Duque, but Mendoza should have been the MVP of the 1999 ALCS.)

He was a big pile of "eh" in his 2 seasons in Boston, compiling a combined 5.73 over 2003 and 2004. And he was the last Red Sox pitcher to record a loss in 2004, getting the decision in the 19-8 Game 3 Fiasco... against the Yankees. It was the last game he pitched in a Red Sox uniform and the Sox went 8-0 the rest of the way. I admit it looked odd seeing his celebrate with the other Red Sox at Yankee Stadium after Game 7. When he received his ring the next season, he was a member of the Yankees again.

I never trusted him. But I can't boo him.


ERIC GAGNE, Relief Pitcher. 2007

He was supposed to be the pick up that solidified the bullpen and made the World Series a lock. Instead he became the 800 pound gorilla reliever and the very symbol of how badly someone could suck when they get off the juice.

By the time the playoffs came about, he was banished to mop up duty. The only time he pitched in a close game, it was Game 2 of the 2007 ALCS which he of course lost.

The only two positive things about Gagne's Red Sox stay were his closing out the Division Series (in a mercy move by Tito) and this song inspired by his time in Boston.

He has a ring and Yaz doesn't? It's sick. But I can't boo him.


JAVIER LOPEZ, Relief Pitcher. 2007

I watched a lot of Red Sox games in 2007. And I watched a lot of games where Javier Lopez came into the game. And I honestly have no recollection of him recording an out.

I'm not being snarky. I am sure he MUST have got a batter out. But I don't remember it. It seemed like all of his appearances were listed in the Box Score as 0 IP, faced 2 batters.

When he came into the game, you just KNEW that Tito was going to relieve him before the inning was over. You KNEW that the rally was going to continue.

He was tough to root for... and I bid him farewell last year. As poorly as he pitched, I can't boo him.

JULIO LUGO, Shortstop. 2007

Oh boy this is the ultimate litmus test. This guy was TOUGH to root for. Not only was he obscenely overpaid ($36 million for a guy who lost his starting job with the Dodgers) but was BRUTAL in the field and had an 0-33 stretch at the plate.

Someday we'll learn what Orlando Cabrera did to tick off the Red Sox front office. But until then, Sox fans will all be scratching our collective heads wondering why he couldn't stay instead of shelling out tons of money for Edgar Renteria and Julio Lugo.

But he won a ring with the Sox (and made a few nice plays in the World Series.) Swallow hard... I can't boo him.



And folks, if I refrain from booing those guys, then I think I can find it in myself to cheer some of the heroes of the '04 and '07 titles.

A JAVIER LOPEZ SIGHTING!!!!

Former Sully Baseball whipping boy Javier Lopez still has a job as a major league pitcher!

I saw it! I have proof! He pitched in today's Pirates-Dodgers game where he mopped up in the rain.

Well I say GOOD FOR HIM!

He was a member of the 2007 World Champion Red Sox... and I gave him a proper send off.

But he is proof that if you can throw a ball 60 feet and 6 inches with your left arm, you will NEVER have trouble finding a job in the bigs!

THEO PICKED UP A NEW LEFTY RELIEVER!!!!

Oh wait... it's Mark Wahlberg.

(I can't believe we all have agreed to no longer call him Marky Mark!)

Either way, let me ask you honestly Red Sox fans... who would you rather see on the mound?

Mark Wahlberg
or
Javier Lopez?

I know... I know... Javy has been gone since May 11. I should just let it go.

Fare thee well, Javier Lopez

I spent a wonderful weekend with my whole family (my mom, dad, brother, wife and two boys) so I didn't spend a lot of time blogging.

When I'm not blogging, I tend to make little notes to myself for potential blog topics.

One of them was "Why haven't the Red Sox designated Javier Lopez for assignment?"

And of course my reasoning was with Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden and Daniel Bard all putting up great numbers with the PawSox, what sense did it make to keep throwing Lopez out there just because he's left handed?

I made it clear before that being left handed wasn't reason enough to keep him on the roster.

So I had the whole blog post mapped out in my head... I click on the internet and what do I read?

The Red Sox designated Javier Lopez for assignment to make room for Daniel Bard.

This is why I trust Theo. He knows what he is doing... and now we have a new young stud in the bullpen.

Now I've been harsh on Javier Lopez as a fan. Among friends I have compared then inevitable releasing of Lopez with pulling a bad tooth.

But I trust Francona when he says "He's a nice kid."

And when members of the 2004 Red Sox started leaving one by one, I felt they deserved a send off and a salute from Red Sox fans.

And lest we forget, Javier Lopez has a World Series ring as a member of the Boston Red Sox... something that would have raised him to the level of demigod just 6 years ago!

So thank you Javier Lopez for contributing to 2007.

Hopefully you will land on your feet.

As for the Red Sox bullpen, already deep with Papelbon, Okajima, Ramirez, Delcarmen and Saito (not to mention Masterson when Matsusaka and Smoltz get healthy)... let me say this is already been a fun year... but that tooth has been pulled!

A Novel Use Of Javier Lopez

After letting up 5 runs in 1/3 of an inning, raising his ERA to 9.39, Javier Lopez finally found something he can do right.

He played the outfield.

I've been calling for the Red Sox to let Lopez go since November.

With Hunter Jones pitching well, they can have a second lefty.
And with Michael Bowden so talented and useful sitting in Pawtucket, it is almost criminal to use a roster space for Javier Lopez.

It's over.
He got his ring and his memories.

Now it's waivers time.

Just have "Dodge More Bullets" games than "I'm Pissed Off" games

Well that was horrible.

Brad Penny was worth less than his name, the Red Sox blew an early 5-1 and 7-3 lead and "SURPRISE!" Javier Lopez found a way to lose the game!

I suppose it is appropriate that Lopez lost the game just before the 11 game streak and then lost the game that ended the streak.

But I suppose I can't get too upset, even though my feelings for Lopez and his worth remain the same as before.

(I give bonus points for Lopez in finding a new and unique way for losing the game. Dropping a 3rd out in the 9th inning? BEAUTIFUL!)

Yes it was another "I'm Pissed Off Game."

But the Red Sox have also had a few "Dodged a Bullet" games in the 11 game stretch.

The game on April 17th against Baltimore... the Red Sox were down 7-0 in the second. The Red Sox had no business winning that game.

The first game against the Yankees, on April 24th... the Red Sox had no business winning a game with two outs, down by two and Rivera on the mound.

And the next day, April 25... the Red Sox were down 6-0 and lifeless and won the game.

So this year, the staff at Sully Baseball is going to keep a running tally of "I'm Pissed Off" games and "Dodged a Bullet" games.

We feel that if the Red Sox dodge more bullets than p*ssing me off, they will have a solid shot at the Division.

Plus it will help temper any anger if the dodging out weighs the p*ssing.

This is getting strange in terms of the wording.

So, here's the tally thus far:

"DODGED A BULLET" GAMES - 3

"I'M PISSED OFF" GAMES - 2

Not bad. 

This tally will be kept up all season long.

And if you think I won't keep it going all season long, then you don't know Sully Baseball!

And things even out...

Remember how Tuesday night was the first "I'm pissed off" game of the year? It was the first game where the Red Sox lost that I felt they had no business losing... and they gift wrapped it to the other team.

Well tonight's win against the Orioles was the first "We got away with one!" game of the year.

The Red Sox had NO BUSINESS winning tonight.

None.

They were down 7-0 after two innings. That's a night when you start thinking about which poor schmuck reliever is going to pitch three or four innings and absorb the blow.

But a victory?

That didn't cross my mind.

Nor should it have.

Not with Penny as awful as he was. Not with Javier Lopez having another "afraid of the strikezone" performance.

But every ball seemed to hit off of an Oriole glove. Every batter seemed to have a 2-1 count.

They started referring to the Mother's Day Massacre... which is always nice.

And the Sox stole a win... and maybe they can build a little momentum especially after the Wakefield win.

The win was ugly, yet not as ugly as the sock hats and red tops they wore.

But in the end three things are true:

1. There will be games the team has no business losing that they will lose.

2. There will be games that the team has no business winning that they will win.

3. As long as there are fewer of the first ones and more of the second ones, the record will even out and the Red Sox will be fine.

Oh yeah, there's a fourth thing:

STOP BRINING IN JAVIER LOPEZ IN CLOSE GAMES!!!

LEFT HANDERS I WOULD RATHER SEE IN A GAME THAN JAVIER LOPEZ

Javier Lopez is left handed. That seems to be the only qualification for him being on a major league roster.

He has pitched over 7 seasons, has a World Series ring and has earned a couple of million dollars... all because he throws with his left hand.

He doesn't throw STRIKES with his left hand. Anyone who saw his horrific inning last night can attest that he wasn't NEAR the strike zone.

So here are some left handers that I would rather see come out of the bullpen for the Red Sox.

1. RICARDO RINCON

The 11 year veteran couldn't find a job in the off season. How could he POSSIBLY be worse than Lopez?

He pitched for the Mexican Team in the moronic World Baseball Classic... so you know he is either ready to pitch or ready to have his arm amputated.

2. KENT MERCKER

The 18 year veteran is supposedly retired. 

But seriously, who could turn down a few more hundred thousand dollars in this economy?

3. BILL LEE

Yeah, I'd rather see the Spaceman... NOW!

He's still playing. Who knows, maybe his time in Cuba will be helpful.

He's be a good quote, it would make up for the Stan Papi trade and give me a chance to plug Spaceman - A Baseball Odyssey again!

4. TOMMY JOHN

Hey, he's already had the surgery!

Plus, can you believe he never won a World Series ring?

Get your repaired arm the hell out of Bridgeport and get up to Fenway!

5. STEVE CARLTON

If we need a lefty, why not Lefty?

Besides, remember how he got passed around from organization to organization at the end of his career? He clearly didn't want to leave the game.

Now's he's been a Hall of Famer for 15 years. But that also means today's hitters haven't seen him. 

I bet he can throw a strike or two... which will be a strike or two more than Lopez!

OK, let's think outside of the box.

6. MICHAEL VICK

Hey! He's left handed, is a solid athlete and he is available!

Plus he has that killer instinct that you need as a left handed specialist.

7. RINGO STARR

When you are a reliever, it is sometimes more important to be lucky than be the best.

And Ringo, a lefty was certainly luckier than Pete Best!

Give him a shot. At least you'll get a cheeky quote.

Besides, we know he can perform in a baseball stadium. We all saw the Shea Stadium clips

8. ROBERT DeNIRO

The left handed two time Oscar winner is known for completely losing himself in a role.

Well maybe he can do enough research to transform himself into a reliable lefty reliever.

Just don't study from Javier Lopez.

9. BRAD PITT AND ANGELINA JOLIE

Both are left handed...

I'm not sure either can throw a strike, but I KNOW Javier Lopez can't.

Besides, maybe a hitter will swing and miss on purpose and try to meet them afterwards.

They might not be good pitchers. But you could never call one of their blown saves "ugly!"

10. BILL CLINTON

The former President, another lefty, has time on his hand and the wife is away most of the time.

And a left handed pitcher should be a guy who knows how to get out of a sticky situation.

And I can't POSSIBLY apologize enough to the human race for that horrible joke.

Be honest... would you rather see Javier Lopez over those lefties?

Didn't think so

First "I'm Pissed Off" Game of the Year

Nothing good happened tonight for the Red Sox.

This is the first "DAMN IT!" game of the year.

The first game that will make me grind my teeth.

The first game that I will remember if the Red Sox miss the playoffs by a game or two.

It started off so well!

3 runs in the first inning... a 3 run cushion for Dice-K. 

When I saw it was 3-0, I gave my kids a bath. When the bath was over, it was 5-3 Oakland after 1.

And Dice-K was out.

GREAT!

No really... I wanted BOTH Lester and Dice-K to suck.

Who needs a 16 game winner and an 18 game winner both under 30?

(Please tell me John Smoltz, Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden are ready!!!)

Then the Red Sox tie it up and the bullpen does an amazing job.

Masterson throws 4 shutout innings... DelCarmen gives 1 2/3 shutout inning... the new kid Ramirez goes 1 1/3... Okajima gives 2 shutout innings... Papelbon throws a 1-2-3.

And the Red Sox can't score!

They had the bases loaded and Ziegler unable to throw a strike... Papi up... a 2-0 count. 

I'm sorry, but Papi is no longer the Papi of 2003-2007. At that point you force Ziegler to throw a STRIKE!

Nope, Papi swings and pops it up.

And then comes the immortal Javier Lopez. He didn't just let up 3 walks in 2/3 of an inning (always impressive in the box score) but his pitchers were NOWHERE NEAR THE PLATE!

His relief appearance was nothing short of grotesque. 

And if you are going to lose a game in extra innings... have the DECENCY to lose on a walk off homer!

NOT a bases loaded, out at every base, perfectly placed, 2 out, infield hit.

It made me long for a balk.

So now the team is 2-6.

The team that everyone (but me) picked to win the AL Pennant is off to their worst start since 1996... a year they failed to make the playoffs.

But do you know what really ticks me off?

I watched it to the end.

Doesn't that suck? I should have turned it off after I saw they couldn't keep a 3-0 lead.

Time to turn it around... or this could be a long long season.

(My picking the A's to win it all didn't look so dumb tonight!)

THROW A STRIKE, JAVIER!!!

Does anyone remember Javier Lopez ever throwing a strike... EVER?

I don't

Man, I am a greedy greedy man

Man I love winning 1-0 games in the bottom of the 9th. I love seeing Lester out duel Halladay and I love seeing Youk come up big in the 9th.
I love seeing Lowell back in the line up.
I love knowing that with a win by Dice-K, the Defending World Champion Boston Red Sox will be at worst tied for first going into May.

So naturally I was talking with some of my Red Sox pals about the team and we determined that we needed bullpen help.

I wrote about how I thought it was time to have Timlin hang them up and my buddy and I agreed the pen needed some reinforcements.

Timlin has an ERA floating in the 13's, Javier Lopez is a left hander who can't get left handers out and Julian Tavarez is a human white flag.

Now keep in mind we know that the Sox have a great closer in Papelbon.
And a great lefty set up man in Okajima.
And we know new comer David Aardsma is doing well.
And Manny DelCarmen was doing well until pitching poorly his last 3 games, but he should rebound.

Also remember that Varitek has gotten some big hits and is handling the starting staff perfectly...
Youk continues to hit...
Pedroia has been a spark plug and made a great defensive play last night...
Lugo of all people has gotten some hits...
Lowell is back...
Manny might win the MVP...
Ellsbury is putting some hits together after a slow start...
Drew has slowed down but still is capable of some pop...
Crisp is playing great D and his average is hovering around .300...
Ortiz seems to be out of his slump...
Cash and the kid Lowrie have given them some depth off of the bench...
And the rotation of Beckett, Dice-K, Lester, Buchholz and even Wakefield have been getting the job done.

So what were we complaining about?

We were complaining that the 5th, 6th and 7th options out of the bullpen weren't to our liking.

That is being very greedy.

And we Sox fans had better get used to seeing at least Timlin and Tavarez.
Timlin seems like a good clubhouse guy and with a lot of young pitchers on the staff, it pays to have a veteran in the pen... even one with a 13 ERA.

As for Tavarez... he's Manny's buddy. And with Manny hitting the way he is, I want him as happy as possible.

Oh well... maybe I can find peace thinking 22 of the 25 on the roster can contribute!

Hey Francona! Let the kid pitch!

Look, I understand we're not supposed to stretch pitchers out.
I understand young pitchers need to be treated like Fabrege Eggs.

But why the hell didn't Justin Masterson start the 7th inning?
This isn't a second guess. I was yelling this at the screen inbetween the 6th and 7th.

Think about all the positives that could have happened with a win yesterday:

- A series win over the Angels... always good to beat contenders.
- A series win where Varitek, Beckett, Youk and Dice-K all had to sit out with the flu. (Seriously, get some Day Quil and suit up!)
- A series win where David Pauley starts one of the games.
- A series win where Coco Crisp comes back and contributes to the offense.
- A series win where Papi's bat has completely caught fire.
- And oh yeah... a series win that includes a solid debut by rookie Justin Masterson.

Holy crap, the team is loading up on the young pitchers! Buchholz, Lester, Papelbon, DelCarmen and now Masterson!

The kid was throwing a 2 hitter and getting out of the few jams he found himself in.
And yeah, anyone expecting him to do better than 6 innings 1 run is greedy... but let's be greedy?

Send him out there to face Kotchman. If he let's up a homer... fine, take him out and get a standing ovation.

But Francona has been going to the Lopez, DelCarmen and Timlin well almost every night. Let the kid pitch and see what happens! What are you saving him for? He was already back in a Portland uniform by the end of the 7th inning.

Instead Lopez comes in and does his best Mark Clear impersonation and walks the only two he faces and DelCarmen makes sure the bases are loaded with nobody out for Okajima.

Then the game falls apart and all the positives are flushed down the toilet.

Everyone talks about preserving the arms of the rotation... but what about the bullpen? I'd rather see the starter wiggle out of a jam or two and get his 5 days rest instead of expecting the pen to throw 3 to 4 innings a night.

Anyway, hope to see Masterson up again soon. I like these young arms.