In the last game in the Tampa Bay series,  the Blue Jays made a come back and beat the Rays 4-3 in the bottom of the 10th inning.  Jose Bautista drove in the winning run with a single.  Bautista went four for four at the plate and collected four RBIs.

“He’s (Bautista) pretty good,” said Jay’s manager, John Gibbons after the game, “He definitely carried us offensively.”

Starting pitcher, Mark Buehrle also had a good night.  Buehrle  gave up four hits, two earned runs, two walks, and struck out  six batters in seven innings pitched.

The Blue Jays next opponent was Baltimore.  Toronto hammered the Orioles in the first game 12-6.  Edwin Encarncion (who is having another good season offensively) went 1-4 at the plate.  J.P. Arencibia went two for five at the plate during the game.  Both Encarnacion and Arencibia racked up  four RBIs.

Despite giving up 10 hits, Brandon Morrow still had a good night on the mound, striking out five batters during the game.

It looked as if  Toronto was turning their season around.  Even Gibbons was impressed by his team’s performance.  ”We’ve been on a little bit of a roll,” he said.

However, the mini winning streak came to a abrupt end.

In the second game against the Orioles, Toronto got trounced 10-6.

The third game was much closer.  ” We made a run at it, we came up short, ” said Gibbons.

Yes, the  Jays came up short, losing 6-5.

Adam Lind and Bautista both went three for five at the plate.

R.A. Dickey’s winning streak came to a end too.  Dickey pitched 6.2 innings, giving up nine hits, six earned runs, three walks, and struck out  four batters.

TAL’S HANDY CAPS

WELCOME, NEWCOMERS:

By design my articles represent a baseball man’s thinking, the view from the dugout and the GM’s box. Most fans do not consider the budget, prospects on the radar, the organization’s weaknesses, the track record, the competition and the other intangibles. Please go to my author archives or Phillies page for my most recent coverage. Scroll down to Tal’s Handy Links at the bottom. Thank you.

Check out this complementary review:

Philadelphia Phillies storyline: Designing the red pinstripes for tomorrow 

The new summer schedule will allow me to publish the best 2-3 storylines each week, but there will be an updated calendar included with each feature:  These posts involve commentary, polls and stats for the upcoming 7 days.

Post time is mostly 5 to 9 pm for the days listed below.

BASEBALL FIX SCHEDULE	FORMAT	TIMEFRAME	PUBLISHING
Storyline	Nitecap Insight	Thur. & Sun.	2-3 Times per Week
Story-poll	Suds or Studs	Mon.	Once a Week
NL East at Game 52 MLB 5 at Game 56	Tal's Handy Stats (ERA)	Tues. Sat.	Twice a Week

Brown Scores during the 5th on May 24 in Washington.

NITECAP INSIGHT

The Next Leader:

Sunset is coming for the self-described seedling: Jimmy Rollins, the first from 2001.

Cornerstone members come in two types, which are those that develop after prolonged periods of losing or winning. The 1980 squad had a run of 8 campaigns from 1975 to 1982; however, 1983 was more like 1993. This 2008 team has contended from 2005 to 2013, which is 9 tours. Last season they made a strong push in the 2nd half that was short because of missing stars early on.

Revere Records the 2nd Out during the 9th for Cliff Lee on May 22 in Miami.

Mike Schmidt, Larry Bowa, Greg Luzinski and Steve Carlton captured the first championship of the franchise. Rollins was on the diamond for the red pinstripes before Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels arrived. Both clubs experienced many defeats before learning how to triumph. Ergo, poor years lead to early draft picks, which is the reason Washington has Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper.

On their individual clubs, Schmidt, Rollins, Juan Pierre and Derek Jeter were the headman, which is not a predicable breed of athlete.

This new crop of talent will follow a victorious era. Here are 5 regulars who are in the conversation: Brown, Galvis, Ben Revere, Darin Ruf and Cody Asche. The third sacker bats third at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, which is the best hitter’s spot, and Ruf has many similarities to Howard. Revere is another Pierre, who was the central figure for the Marlins. However, Brown and Galvis are presently cementing themselves as the building block for tomorrow.

Current Statistics for the Future Starting 8 @

Philadelphia Phillies storyline: Designing the red pinstripes for tomorrow

Galvis Pilfers 2nd during the 6th on May 22 in Miami.

The left fielder projects to 27 homeruns (8 at this time) and 84 RBI (25 for now). By comparison, Howard has 6 bombs, Utley has 7, and they each have 25 RBI. On the other hand, Galvis is a Rollins-like spark plug who could star at second, short or third. He is the 9th starter but that is only a temporary situation for this summer.

Although the general manager drew the blueprints around Brown, Galvis may prove to be future core leader.

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This is the 37th storyline for 2013. Check out my recent publication (The Baby Phillies) on the Phillies page or my author archives, where there is an excerpt photo. Also, my new feature is Story-poll. The last one was (The Early Returns).

I will periodically publish the 2013 ERA for the NL East and the MLB 5. Thank you, to all who bookmarked my page.

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With their backs against the ropes, I will tell you why this Blackhawks team will take game 5 to move the series back to Detroit being down 3-2.

The Red Wings will be facing off against the Blackhawks tonight in game 5 of this best of seven Western Conference Semifinals series. The game is scheduled to begin at 8:00 (EST) and will be televised on NBC.

The Blackhawks find themselves in an unfamiliar territory, which is on the brink of elimination against a RedWings team who has all the momentum on their side. So this game 5 matchup is a “must-win” to say the least if the Blackhawks look to continue to what seemed to be a picture perfect season.

The Blackhawks began the year with the longest point streak in NHL history, scoring a point in each of their first 24 games in the season. They also had a 30 game point streak going on that dated back to last season, which was the second longest point streak in NHL history behind the 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers who went 35 straight games with scoring a point. They were also the winners of the President’s Trophy in 2013, finishing this shortened NHL season with 77 points in 48 games, 11 points ahead of second place Anaheim. People all over the sports world were calling this 2013 Blackhawks team a dynasty, and also the best team the NHL has seen for years.

But just in case you didn’t know, all dynasties must come to an end, and the Detroit RedWings are proving that all that “greatest team of all-time” talk was premature.

After getting beat down in all four games during the regular season versus the Blackhawks and in the first game of this conference semifinals series, the RedWings have now taken three straight games from Chicago and are just a win away from advancing to the western conference finals. To say Detroit has “owned” the Blackhawks these last three games is an understatement.

The RedWings have outscored the Blackhawks 9-2 in the past three games, as 29 year-old RedWings goaltender Jimmy Howard has stopped 86 of 88 shots over the past three games for a sparkling .977 save percentage. If the season were to end today, I believe Howard would be the playoffs MVP not only for the RedWings team, but for the whole league.

I mean how can you argue with all Howard has done for Detroit as of late? Whenever they needed him the most, he has put his team on his back. And with a win tonight he will be putting his team in the western finals, when just a month ago he was struggling to put his team in the playoffs.

It’s crazy what a month can do for a player, for a team, heck even for a city. Just a month back Detroit fans were coming to a sense that this team was not your ordinary RedWings team which would dominate during the regular season and then keep the momentum throughout the playoffs. No not this year, as they literally clinched a playoff spot in the last game of the regular season. But after beating the number 2 seeded Anaheim in a game 7 at their place, and now going up 3-1 versus a 1 seeded Chicago team, the RedWings have their fans believing again, and it feels better than usual because they don’t have much to lose.

So in this game 5 I expect Chicago to play with all the pride and energy they have left from what has not already been taken away from them by Detroit in this series. I have to admit I didn’t even expect this series to turn out the way that it has, but that should tell you how resilient all Detroit RedWings teams can be. Expect an exciting game at the United Center in Chicago, as I believe the home team will win this game in a final score of 3-1 to send it back to Detroit. Just all-around too much talent from Chicago’s end, and I find it hard for any team to win four straight against this Blackhawks team. Although if I have learned one thing from watching the NHL playoffs, is that the team that wins a series is not usually the team that looks the best on paper, but is the team with the most momentum. And that M-word I just mentioned definitely favors Detroit.

So enjoy hockey fans!

San Antonio’s mindset is one game at a time.  All they have to do is win this one away game and the series is basically a wrap.  The Grizzlies had to deal with the great wall of San Antonio, Tim Duncan, in the first two games.  This Spurs team knows how to go into another team’s building and suck the life out of it.

Memphis must prevent San Antonio from getting comfortable early in the game.  It is essential that the Grizzlies start out strong.  They must treat the first quarter like it’s the fourth quarter.  Randolph and Gasol need to attack Duncan early.  Mike Conley needs to make Parker use a lot of energy so Parker wears down on offense.

The Grizzlies found themselves in a 0-2 hole in the first round against the Clippers.  However, they owned up to their responsibilities and totally outworked the Clippers the rest of the series.  Memphis needs to hit San Antonio in their weak spot just like they did against the Clippers.  Make San Antonio work for every little bit.  Deny Duncan the ball in the post and make Parker move nonstop when he’s on defense.

Zach Randolph, the Grizzlies’ X-factor, has struggled in this series.  He can’t get many of his shots to fall but there is no need to panic for Randolph.  He should be able to work his way out of this slump by continuing to go strong to the hoop and drawing fouls.  He also must realize that Marc Gasol, a viable option on offense, is there to help him.

In San Antonio’s case, every game is one they expect to win.  Going into Memphis’ away building may not be of concern to them.  While most people are expecting Memphis to make this a series, the Spurs could easily shock us and wipe away the Grizzlies in Game 3.

In conclusion, Memphis has their back against the wall and they are aware they must deliver.  Coach Lionel Hollins is most definitely emphasizing that they need to fight at their will.  I like the Grizzlies to cut into their 0-2 deficit tonight.

Prediction: Grizzlies 93 vs. Spurs 87

AL East Standing : 2^nd

Weekly Record : 4-3

(Every Saturday I will attempt to give some brief thoughts on the past week for the Boston Red Sox. It will be filled with hopes, frustrations, exhilaration, pain, and plenty of puns. Speaking of which…)

Down in the Dempster: When the Sox signed Ryan Dempster this past offseason for 2 years/$26.5 mil, it was a signing that was generally met with shrugs. While with the Cubs, Dempster had had a rather dominant stretch from 2008 to 2010, After a disappointing 2011 season, Dempster started ’12 with a bang, going 5-5 with a 2.25 ERA on a super-struggling Cubs team. However, when he was traded to the Rangers, Dempster had a rought time with AL lineups, registering a 5.09 ERA while still striking out batters at a healthy rate. All of this is to ask: when should we start worrying for real about this year’s Dempster? His last three starts have been putrid: 12 2/3 innings, 15 ER, 12/11 K/BB, and three homers given up against the Blue Jays on May 12^th.

Photo Credit: AP

Since May 7^th, Dempster’s ERA has jumped from 2.93 to 4.69, and Dempster himself has admitted his command has been especially poor as of late. With Juan Nieves and John Farrell behind him, there is a great possibility that Dempster can correct these issues, but worries remain. He’s 36 years old, not a spring chicken still trying to figure things out. It would be a shame to see Dempster fall apart now: he’s a great clubhouse presence, and his strikeout ability is a huge asset in an increasingly difficult AL East. This will be something to watch very closely when he faces the Phillies on Tuesday (unfortunately against Cliff Lee).

Injury Time: Well it looks like the injury bug is here to stay. Now, we have Will Middlebrooks placed on the 15-day DL for a lower back strain and Shane Victorino on the 15-day DL for a left hamstring strain. In their places come Jose Iglesias, who had never played third base before Tuesday, and Alfredo Aceves.

Now if you’re like me, you read that last name and had a sudden urge to scream out loud, run outside with a cardboard sign, and tell anyone that can hear you that the end is near.

Photo Credit: AP

On the one hand, the bullpen has had a rough couple of days after Lester and Dempster’s starts, especially long-relief men Clayton Mortensen and Alex Wilson. But on the other, Aceves is trouble, with a capital T, which rhymes with P, and that stands for Potential Disturbance in the Clubhouse! The only reason he should pitch at all is to show any trade value so we can dump him to a poor unsuspecting team for chump change. Not only that, but when he’s called up, he will be the thirteenth pitcher on the 25-player roster. The 13^th!!!!!! Even Pedro Cerrano can’t fix this karmic mess.

(Friday Update: Aceves came in to the 9^th with an 8-1 Sox lead, and finished the inning in 20 pitches with no damage done. Still. I’m not convinced)

Hopefully this is only a (extremely) temporary measure. I am hoping that Farrell will send Aceves back to reach into Triple A to bolster the depleted outfield. Which means The Return of Jackie Bradley Jr., or possibly the first appearance of Bryce Brentz, who has fully recovered from accidentally Plaxico-ing in the offseason to hitting .316 over the last 10 games. It would be best to bet on the former, whose fastidious plate discipline and speed will always be an asset.

Tito’s Sweet Return: Now, let me start off by saying I am thrilled with this year’s coaching staff, especially John Farrell. But I’ve missed Terry Francona. While he from time to time made his mistakes, he was a great player’s manager. This leniency with his team, of course, led to the infamous fried chicken and beer season. But frankly, when compared to the monstrosity of the Bobby Valentine managership, (69-90, destroying a clubhouse, forcing out Youk, etc.), the Francona era seems downright sparkly.

Which is why his reception at Fenway was so wonderful. Because, let’s remember, this was the manager who, after 86 years of futility, brought Boston not one but two World Series rings. When Fenway played their video tribute to Terry, and the crowd cheered, it was a heartwarming moment. After a year of strained relations between Francona and the Red Sox organization, leading to Francona’s turning down the invitation to the Sox anniversary celebration, it’s nice to see him come back to Boston, spitting seeds in the dugout. He even mock-tussled with Don Orsillo. What I didn’t appreciate nearly as much was the 12-3 thrashing of the Sox that ensued, but still, silver linings.

Previously: Bro hugs with Koji: the rebirth of Boston’s bullpen

If only Justin Masterson could pitch every day

So is this 2011 all over again? Will Cleveland’s hot start sputter and stall once more as the Tigers overwhelm the rest of the pack with their superior roster and lofty payroll?

Let’s go team-by-team to see how this thing is going to shake down come late September. We’ll do this in alphabetical order:

Chicago White Sox

They seem to be missing just enough in every key area to not be a true contender this year. Their offense lacks excitement and elite firepower. Paul Konerko can only do so much. He will need big time seasons from all four of Alex Rios, Alexei Ramirez, Adam Dunn, and Dayan Viciedo to give this team a shot. The odds of that happening are mighty slim.

On the mound the Sox have as good of a 1-2 punch as most teams in baseball with Chris Sale and Jake Peavy. However, the season-ending injury to Gavin Floyd seriously depleted the depth of this rotation. In the end the Sox will simply not have enough juice and will finish 4th in this division.

Cleveland Indians

What a difference a Terry Francona can make. He is firmly entrenched in the top-tier of managers in the game and has the Tribe believing that they can push the Tigers to the brink. Oh, and adding Michael Bourn, Mark Reynolds, Nick Swisher, and Drew Stubbs to the lineup has already paid huge dividends. Only one team has plated more than the 238 runs Cleveland has put on the board and that’s Detroit with 245. With Michael Brantley and Carlos Santana coming into their own and Asdrubal Cabrera and Jason Kipnis forming a nice middle infield combo with offensive pop, the Indians are going to be able to hit with anyone this year.

But can they get enough outs? Justin Masterson is having a huge season, but can it continue? Probably not at his current pace. Zach McAllister is pitching above his head. And then you have the rest of the group that includes the inevitably disappointing Ubaldo Jimenez alongside Corey Kluber and Scott Kazmir.

Fortunately, Francona has a very good bullpen, especially with Vinnie Pestano back in the mix. This shortens up the obligations on the starting rotation but in the end, it will be the 5-man rotation that keeps Cleveland from winning the division. Despite all of the mojo and chemistry, they will finish 2nd and have to duke it out for a Wild Card. Give Francona two more elite arms at the deadline though?

Miguel Cabrera just keeps on hitting

Detroit Tigers

All business, all the time. That’s your 2013 Detroit Tigers. In fact, they are so business oriented that their silly routine after a big hit is when they pretend to adjust their non-existent tie. Offensively, you have Miguel Cabrera on pace to break some major records, including most RBI’s in a season. Pair him up with Prince Fielder and they are challenging Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig’s all-time mark for a duo. The true beauty for Jim Leyland’s offense so far has been the resurgence of Jhonny Peralta (.323 avg.) and the professional hitting of Omar Infante (.323). Together, these two have shored up the bottom of the order that was so weak a season ago. Once Victor Martinez is all the way back and Austin Jackson is healthy the Tigers will have no alternative but to continue their assault on opposing pitching.

[Detroit Tigers talk: Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander]

So far, Jose Valverde has a 0.82 ERA and has saved five of his six opportunities. He may not be elite but he’ll do just fine in his back-end support role of one of the league’s best pitching staffs. When people are grumbling more about Justin Verlander than they are about Rick Porcello, you know things are going to be ok. And yes, Verlander will be just fine. Max Scherzer might be the most dynamic of the bunch though and having Anibal Sanchez at the top of his game with the steady Doug Fister means that you can start planning for how to afford those playoff tickets. Sorry, Cleveland, Detroit is still the lead cat.

Kansas City Royals

Oh how I wish this team could get it together. I love how they have constructed their roster but the simple fact is that two guys that they were counting on for major contributions both this year and last have fallen well short of expectations. Mike Moustakas (.174 avg.) and Eric Hosmer (.270 avg. 1 HR) need to figure it out fast. With Alex Gordon and Billy Butler anchoring the offense and up-and-comers Lorenzo Cain and Salvador Perez tearing the cover off the ball, this team is literally Moustakas and Hosmer away from competing. And it’s not going to happen this year for the two youngsters.

James Shields has been as good as advertised in the rotation and Ervin Santana and Jeremy Guthrie are exceeding their projections. If that continues and the offense can somehow get hot as a group for long stretches of the season then this team can push Cleveland for 2nd place. I just don’t believe in the total offensive product enough. KC finishes 3rd.

Minnesota Twins

The Twins stink. We knew this going in and they have not disappointed. It’s not their offense, which has some nice pieces in the middle of that order. It’s the pitching. Minnesota’s starting rotation has combined for a 5.67 ERA on the season, worst in the AL. Until they can get some of those young arms that they acquired in the offseason ready to roll Ron Gardenhire’s team will continue to give up runs in bunches and finish dead last in this division.

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So what should we expect in year three? Hoke has systematically re-calibrated the culture of the Michigan program by going back to the future. He is a direct descendant of the Bo Schembechler and Lloyd Carr coaching tree and he’s drawn extensively on that lineage as he returns Michigan to all it’s glory. He has placed a major recruiting emphasis on beefing up the lines and dominating in-state recruiting.

So as Team 134 heads into the summer months, here are five key players that could help the Wolverines claim a record 43rd Big Ten Championship.

Devin Gardner

1. Devin Gardner: The elbow injury that forced Denard Robinson out of the Nebraska game and deflated the Wolverines Big Ten title hopes last year, was a blessing in disguise for this season. Had Robinson played out the season as the starting QB, Devin Gardner would have finished out the season as a wide receiver and there would be a big question mark stamped on the quarterback position right now. Instead, Gardner was given the shot he has long coveted and he ran with it. He posted some eye-popping numbers and against Iowa he became the first Wolverine to account for six touchdowns in a game since Steve Smith (1983). He ended up completing 60% of his passes for 1, 219 yards with 11 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Gardner also ran for 101 yards and another 7 TDs.

Gardner has been working hard this off-season at refining his skills and there’s absolutely no reason to think he won’t have a great season. He is poised, confident, and a team leader.

2. Taylor Lewan: When he opted to return for his final season, Michigan’s offensive line instantly became a position of strength for the 2013 season. Lewan is an All-American left tackle who will anchor Michigan’s line and help keep Devin Gardner on his feet. With another dominant season, Lewan will surely end up as one of Michigan’s all-time best offensive linemen. He will pair with fellow 5th year senior Michael Schofield to give Michigan the best set of tackles in the Big Ten. Lewan will also serve as mentor for Michigan’s bumper crop of young, talented offensive linemen.

He left millions of guaranteed dollars on the table to return to Michigan, so you can believe he has championships on his mind.

3. James Ross III: Michigan’s defense suffered a big blow when Jake Ryan tore his ACL in spring practice. Fortunately for the Wolverines they have a dynamic linebacking corps. Ross is an explosive and instinctive player. He is one of those guys that has knack for being in the right place at the right time. He was named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshmen team last year and notched a career-high 12 tackles against Iowa. Ross will be one of Michigan’s best defenders and help ease the sting of losing Ryan.

4: Frank Clark: Clark is a big, athletic player who has shown he can be a playmaker on the defensive side of the ball. He had nine tackles for loss last season and could easily double that number in 2013.

5: Derrick Green: The focal point of Michigan’s rushing attack the last 4 seasons was Denard Robinson. Hoke and offensive coordinator Al Borges would prefer to feature a big, strong running back that they can feed the ball to. Well, Green is big and he’s fast. He was named by ESPN as one of 5 freshmen to watch this fall. Brady Hoke has shown no qualms about using true freshman in featured roles, so don’t be surprised if Green is an instant impact player for Michigan.

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Related articles

Michigan releases 2014 schedule

Profiling Michigan recruit Jabrill Peppers

Joe White talks Detroit Tigers with Jack Ebling on the Drive with Jack on The Game 730 AM. The topics discussed are Miguel Cabrera’s prodigious season and what’s wrong with Justin Verlander.

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This great play, however, does not come without some difficulties; namely that the Braves have a roster full of talent but only nine positions available on the field at one time. With this shortage of spots and a plethora of players comes good, old-fashioned position battles. Let’s take a look at the positions up for grabs, the numbers of the players fighting for playing time, and who truly deserves the starting job at that position.

Catcher

Players: Brian McCann & Evan Gattis

Stats: McCann .282 batting average, 11 hits, 4 HRs, & 12 RBIs in 12 games; Gattis .256 batting average, 31 hits, 10 HRs, & 27 RBIs in 37 games

Position at a Glance: This is arguably the most highly contested position battle in all of baseball, and frankly one that may be keeping manager Fredi Gonzalez up at night. On one side, there is Evan Gattis, the Rookie of the Year sensation whose battle back to play baseball and his ability to hit in almost every situation has made him a fan favorite. On the other hand, there’s Brian McCann, the hometown player who has come back very strong from the shoulder surgery that sidelined him for the first month of the season. Keeping both of these hot hands in the lineup has been quite a challenge for Gonzalez, and the scenarios in which this position battle eventually plays out seems endless.

Prediction: McCann and Gattis continue to split time up until the end of July, when McCann, 29, is traded to the Tampa Bay Rays. Gattis is chosen as the Braves’ catcher of the future, and although he does not continue to play at the Superman-esque level fans have seen so far, he definitely picks up where McCann left off.

Third Base

Players: Chris Johnson & Juan Francisco

Stats: Johnson .350 batting average, 42 hits, 3 HRs, & 14 RBIs in 34 games; Francisco .260 batting average, 25 hits, 5 HRs, & 16 RBIs in 31 games

Position at a Glance: The post-Chipper Jones era on the hot corner for Atlanta has been a fun one to watch, as both Johnson and Francisco have played fairly well in their time on the field. While Francisco appears to have a little more power, Johnson is a very consistent hitter and is the kind of player you should be able to count on to bring home the crucial run when it matters the most.

Prediction: Back in January, a majority of Braves fans were worried when the team sent away Martin Prado for Justin Upton and some guy named Chris Johnson. Fast-forward to May, and the trade has proven to provide the Braves with two starters for a guy who is hitting .232 out in the desert. Francisco has not necessarily done anything wrong this season; Johnson has just done enough right to grab a stranglehold on the position, which he will maintain as the summer fades to fall.

Centerfield

Players: B.J. Upton & Jordan Schafer

Stats: Upton .155 batting average, 23 hits, 4 HRs, 7 RBIs, & 55 strikeouts in 42 games; Schafer .309 batting average, 21 hits, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, & 20 strikeouts in 31 games

Position at a Glance: Upton has been the Braves’ biggest disappointment in the 2013 season, as the former Tampa Bay Ray has registered the same number of strikeouts as teammates Chris Johnson and Freddie Freeman have combined and has a lower batting average than starting pitchers Julio Teheran, Tim Hudson, and Paul Maholm. Meanwhile, Schafer, the former Braves bust, has done everything right in his return to Atlanta after a stint in Houston, as shown by holding the fourth best batting average on the team.

How much longer will the BJ Struggle Face survive?

Prediction: Despite the great play by Schafer, there are 75 million reasons why centerfield is still B.J.’s spot to lose. That being said, there is only so much room for adjustment that a team can provide for a player before they pull the plug and instead plug someone else into the lineup. Bossman Junior has shown some signs of turning things around in the last week, and I believe that he will maintain the starting spot in center for the remainder of the year with Schafer playing all over the outfield when his name is called. However, if the elder Upton is still hitting below the Mendoza Line come mid-June, expect Jordan Schafer to be in play for this starting spot.

Disagree with how these position battles will play out? Leave a comment and let your opinion be heard

TAL’S HANDY CAPS

WELCOME, NEWCOMERS:

By design my articles represent a baseball man’s thinking, the view from the dugout and the GM’s box. Most fans do not consider the budget, prospects on the radar, the organization’s weaknesses, the track record, the competition and the other intangibles. Please go to my author archives or Phillies page for my most recent coverage. Scroll down to Tal’s Handy Links at the bottom. Thank you.

Check out:  Philadelphia Phillies storyline: Amaro’s luck

The new summer schedule will allow me to publish the best 2-3 storylines each week, but there will be an updated calendar included with each feature:  These posts involve commentary, polls and stats for the upcoming 7 days.

Post time is mostly 5 to 9 pm for the days listed below.

BASEBALL FIX SCHEDULE	FORMAT	TIMEFRAME	PUBLISHING
Storyline	Nitecap Insight	Thur. & Sun.	2-3 Times per Week
Story-poll	Suds or Studs	Mon.	Once a Week
NL East at Game 52 MLB 5 at Game 56	Tal's Handy Stats (ERA)	Tues. Sat.	Twice a Week

This review is an additional posting.

Dom Brown Heads Home after his 2nd-inning Blast on May 20 in Miami.

NITECAP INSIGHT

The Baby Phillies:

Of the crop that will eventually represent the franchise, five could be starters in the 2014 lineup.

There are many twists and turns waiting for these future Phils. Some of them will be regulars or reserves and some will reach their dead end somewhere along the road. It is doubtful that all 8 will form the 2015 or 2016 version of the locals. That stated, there is at least one who has a 90% shot of being there.

Galvis Eyes his Walk-off Homerun during the 9th at the Bank on May 19 against the Reds.

Among the personnel on the 25-man roster, Brown, Ben Revere and Freddy Galvis are here already. 3B Cody Asche, LF Darin Ruf and C Tommy Joseph are at Lehigh Valley. At Lakewood are SS Roman Quinn and 1B Art Charles. Galvis could be the next second baseman, shortstop or third sacker if Asche is not ready next April.

The second half will determine the campaigns of Brown, Ruf and Asche. After 3 months of the challenge at a higher echelon, these 3 should develop and produce a significant jump in results. Meanwhile, Charlie Manuel initiated the thinking that Galvis is a possibility in center field, which also sparks an urgency for Revere. However, Revere is averaging .370 for May in 46 at-bats.

Charles Points his Bat Last Summer like Jim Thome and Howard.

It is also important to keep an eye on Joseph, Quinn and Charles, but that is for another reason. The two Lakewood infielders have to at least match their previous numbers for a half-year promotion, which would be Single-A Clearwater. Joseph has struggled so far with offense, defense and passed balls; however, he suffered a concussion on May 4. He hits for power, was solid behind the dish during spring training, but he has only played 21 games at Lehigh Valley.

Charles has improved by over 40 points even with his ascension to Lakewood, which has followed his trade from Toronto for Michael Schwimer. The first baseman spent 3 campaigns below the full-season Lakewood level, but he is producing positive results so far. On the other hand, Quinn has more tools that anyone in the Philly farm system. However, he has slowed down in only his 2nd minor-league tour.

By the Numbers:

Ruf Watches his Drive During April in Lehigh Valley.

Ruf may find his way back to the Bank if Delmon Young does not hit, or Ryan Howard goes on the DL. Considering that Brown is the most improved Phillie, he could return to right field if that spot opens up. Revere, hopefully, will make the adjustments to a bigger market, because his speed and energy are rally starters. Galvis, however, is the most likely candidate to have a starting gig out of these 8 players.

For all the talk about the red pinstripes not getting younger, Rube Amaro could have 4 regulars next summer from these 8 on the home team.

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Lack of Offense.  After rallying and fighting back all weekend against Cleveland, the offense showed little pop against the Angels.  Seattle was shut out by Jerome Williams on Tuesday in a 12-0 loss managing only six hits.  No Mariner starter had more than one hit.  They only had three at-bats with runners in scoring position compared to the Angels who went 6-11 with runners in scoring position.  Last night wasn’t much better.  By the third inning last night, the Mariners found themselves in a 7-0 hole.  Seattle scored one run in the eighth inning off starter C.J. Wilson to avoid going scoreless for the series.  Seattle’s 5 through 8 batters (Smoak, Shoppack, Ackley, Andino) went 0-for-15 with one BB.

Coming back from an injury that cost him his last start, Aaron Harang struggled Tuesday against the Angels and fell to 1-5 for the Mariners on the season in a 12-0 loss.

Back of the Rotation Problems.  Right now, Seattle looks to have a two and a half pitcher rotation.  After Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, and Joe Saunders at home, it’s been dicey, and this two game series showed that.  Pitching for the first time in two weeks after a back issue scratched his last start, Aaron Harang went 3.2 IP on Tuesday allowing nine hits and seven ER.  Harang has only gone 6 IP in two out of six starts, and he stands at 1-5 with an 8.58 ERA.  The Mariners were hoping to bounce back with rookie Brandon Maurer last night, but he only lasted three innings allowing eleven hits and seven earned runs.  Maurer, who turned in the best performance by a starter in the Cleveland series, had shut out the Angels when he faced them earlier this season in Safeco Field.  He fell to 2-6 with a 6.80 ERA.  With the No. 4 and 5 starters sitting at a combined 3-11 and both having ERAs over six and a half runs, Mariner fans may see some movement in the rotation soon.

Three vs. the Rangers.  The Mariners now find themselves at home for the first time in two weeks looking to snap this six-game slide.  They will be facing their third first place opponent out of their last four when they host the A.L. West leading Texas Rangers.  Joe Saunders will start the series Friday night, followed by the 1-2 punch of Hernandez and Iwakuma.  Texas is coming off seven games at home, having gone 4-3 vs. the Tigers and A’s.  In the good news department, Seattle will miss Rangers staff ace Yu Darvish (7-2, 2.84, 91 SO).  The Mariners are 2-5 against the Rangers this season; 2-2 in Seattle.

Down 2-1, you would expect this to be a crucial game for the Blackhawks. But winning game four will be as crucial for the RedWings if they are looking to take this series.

The Red Wings will be facing off against the Blackhawks on tonight in game 4 of this best of seven Western Conference Semifinals series. The game is scheduled to begin at 8:00 (EST) and will be televised on NBCSN.

For the first time ever this season the Blackhawks will be facing adversity, as they are going into game 4 down in the series 2-1.

Just as they did in game 2 of the series, the Red Wings won game 3 by being the more physical team between the two. But the Blackhawks did finish the game with more shots on target than the Red Wings, so it came down to goaltending, and Redwings goalie Jimmy Howard took care of business.

Howard finish the game with 39 saves out of 40 chances, while Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford had 27 saves out of 30 chances. If there were a few words to describes Howard’s performance in game 3, they would be “spectacular, epic, and series-changing.”

Gustav Nyquist and Drew Miller scored 31 seconds apart midway through the second period and Pavel Datsyuk regained a two-goal lead in the third to help Detroit beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 in game 3.

An article on ESPN.com said that, “as good as the Red Wings have looked — scoring six straight goals to earn momentum in the matchup — their hard-driving coach isn’t ready to celebrate.”

‘”We haven’t done anything yet,”‘ Mike Babcock said.

I couldn’t agree more with coach Babcock, as I believe game four will be as important/if not more important for the Redwings to win than for the Blackhawks. Detroit doesn’t want to go into Chicago with this series being tied at 2 a piece with two of the three remaining games being played in Chicago.

So in game 4 expect Detroit to come out with the same momentum as they have done in the previous two games. It’s kind of hard to believe that before this series had begun, Detroit couldn’t get anything going against Chicago. But now the tables have turned in Detroit’s favor, and Chicago is the team with their backs against the ropes looking for ways to score a goal. Expect a hard fought game from both teams, but Detroit understands the circumstances, so I believe they will squeak out of game 4 with a 2-1 win over Chicago.

Zach Randolph was feeling great in the first two rounds.  He brought tremendous energy and was extremely difficult to stop from getting excellent post position.  Through the first two rounds, Randolph averaged 19.7 points on 51 percent shooting.  However, in the first two games of this series, Randolph has been held to a meager 8.5 points per game on 27 percent shooting.

Zach Randolph is arguably Memphis’ best scorer.  The Grizzlies absolutely need him to play well to win this series.  When Randolph gets frustrated, the team seems to struggle.  The Spurs are doing an amazing job of forcing him to miss tough, contested shots.  The Spurs aren’t just playing your average defense.  There is a certain strategy they employ to slow down Memphis’ post game.

The first step that Duncan or another defender uses is pushing Randolph away from the basket.  If Randolph gets a good angle and positions himself right on the block, it is simple for him to keep scoring.  But Duncan and Splitter use their bodies to move Randolph as far away from the hoop as possible.  It is tough for Randolph to get off a shot if he isn’t creating separation because he has to shoot over the much longer Tim Duncan.

The Spurs have even held seven-foot-one center, Marc Gasol, to 39 percent shooting in the first two games.  Gasol usually doesn’t have a particularly hard time getting his shot off but he settles for jumpers more than Randolph does.  Make no mistake; the Spurs certainly need to chase Gasol out there as he has a very sweet stroke.  However, they have forced the Grizzlies to settle for lower-percentage outside shots.

Outside shooting is an area the Grizzlies have been known to struggle.  Memphis looked comfortable shooting the ball in the first two rounds but it isn’t the same against San Antonio.  The Spurs are much more physical than the Thunder and the Clippers were.  They do a much better job of protecting the basket, having Tim Duncan.  As a result, they make the Grizzlies doubt themselves and take shots that aren’t in their best interest.

Also, beware of the matchup between Tony Parker and Mike Conley.  They both like to dribble out the shot clock and find tight spaces in the driving lane.  As a defense, it can actually be tougher to stop one of them from getting off a shot in the paint.  Memphis has top notch defense but Tony Parker is so crafty with the ball that it is hard for any team to stop him.

On the other hand, don’t let this convince you that this 0-2 hole has the Grizzlies doomed.  Memphis actually plays harder when they are down and treats it like a life-or-death situation.  Memphis has won all five home games in the playoffs and they have every reason to believe they can even this series at home.

TAL’S HANDY STATS

WELCOME, NEWCOMERS:

I will publish the 2013 ERA for both the NL East and the MLB 5 periodically. The number of games played by the Phillies is in the headline at the end.

If you’re interested in checking out something different, my storyline articles–by design–represent a baseball man’s thinking, the view from the dugout and the GM’s box. Please go to my author archives or the Phillies page for my most recent coverage. Scroll down to Tal’s Handy Links at the bottom. Thank you.

Check out:  Philadelphia Phillies storyline: Designing tomorrow’s red pinstripes  

The new summer schedule will allow me to publish the best 2-3 storylines each week, but there will be an updated calendar included with each feature:  These posts involve commentary, polls and stats for the upcoming 7 days.

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BASEBALL FIX SCHEDULE	FORMAT	TIMEFRAME	PUBLISHING
Storyline	Nitecap Insight	Thur. & Sun.	2-3 Times per Week
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NL East at Game 52 MLB 5 at Game 56	Tal's Handy Stats (ERA)	Tues. Sat.	Twice a Week

Lee Loads up a 9th-inning Bullet on May 22 in Miami.

Top Performance:

Cliff Lee

Reasoning for the Stats:

These numbers are a glimpse over the pitching coach’s shoulder, because they warn of difficulty ahead. The rule of thumb is that the bullpen load should be no more than 33.3%, which is a 6-complete average per start. That is why going a distance into the game is 6.1 frames or more, which is 70.4%. The added detail of 1 out per contest is 54 innings over the long summer’s course. This also shows the studs that give the relievers a well deserved night off, but there is a rust factor due to lack of back-end chances.

Starting & Relief Pitching:

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Philadelphia Phillies: 2013 ERA for the NL East at game 41

Phillies

Tal Venada (Author Archives)

Dodger GM Ned Colletti (left) has evaded questions about the future of manager Don Mattingly (right).   (AP)

Tuesday, the NBA Clippers canned coach Vinnie Del Negro in spite of him guiding the team to the Pacific Division title. The UCLA Bruins basketball team kicked out coach Ben Howland after he won the Pac-12 title.  The Lakers fired their head coach a whole five games into the 2012-2013 season.  Angels manager Mike Scioscia was fired; at least in the dreams of fans. But last week team owner Arte Moreno made a public statement claiming Scioscia’s job was safe…for now.   Too bad the same hasn’t happened for Dodgers manager Don Mattingly.

Mattingly’s firing has been the main topic of Dodger discussions ever since the team fell into the NL West cellar more than two weeks ago. The difference between Mattingly and Scioscia is that current Dodgers ownership has yet to jump up and defend their beleaguered manager.  The response from General Manager Ned Colletti has been more like the response Sgt. Schultz used to have in the old “Hogan’s Heroes” TV show-“I know nothing!”

“I think he has done fine,” Colletti said of Mattingly after the Dodgers 3-1 win over Milwaukee Monday night.  When asked about the report by baseball writer Ken Rosenthal which said the firing of Mattingly was imminent, Colletti said “I really don’t read very much. I don’t have time to read.”

Wednesday, the Dodgers wrapped up a six game road trip during which they won just two games. Add to that their 6-16 record versus NL West opponents and the signs certainly don’t point to a team capable of creeping back into the pennant discussion.

The most glaring problems come from their lack of offense and bullpen arms.  Closer Brandon League is morphing back into the mediocre relief pitcher the “we can only go up” Seattle Mariners were more than happy to dump.  As far as the bats go, the Dodgers rank 29th in the majors in runs scored and slugging percentage and 28th in home runs.  Injuries have made a huge dent in this team as well.

Shortstop Hanley Ramirez has been hurt for all but four games this season. Second baseman Mark Ellis has only been healthy enough to play half a season so far and pitcher Zack Greinke’s broken collarbone kept him sidelined for more than a month. About the only certainty these days is Clayton Kershaw.

I felt that Mattingly had to sweep the series against the current NL central cellar-dwelling Brewers in order to at least survive through the Memorial Day weekend.  The loss Tuesday night most likely sealed his fate. I’d like to see the guy given some more time, at least until he could field the team fans envisioned on opening day.

The argument over whether it is the players or the manager that are to blame for the current situation has been ongoing for weeks now. But I think the first glimpse of things to come showed up during spring training when the Dodgers didn’t want to talk about whether they even wanted to talk about extending Mattingly’s contract beyond this season.  Then Magic Johnson stated the Dodgers were expected to reach the playoffs.  The message was obvious-Mattingly wasn’t the choice of the new owners but they will give him time to fail before canning him.   And, as we all know, the “What have you done for me lately” is the prevailing rule in sports.

I mean, Mattingly has guided the team to two straight winning seasons in spite of watching the team go through a bankruptcy that prevented them from filling the evident gaps on the field.

A couple of positions have been a “holey” mess  for a couple of years now. Third base has been a revolving door since Casey Blake manned the position in 2011.  Luis Cruz, who struggled in the minor leagues for a decade until coming to life last season, has flamed out with a .096 batting average. Juan Uribe is, well, Juan Uribe.  The Dodgers have failed to obtain a productive veteran catcher to back up AJ Ellis.  The current number 2 catcher is Ramon Hernandez, who just turned 37 a few days ago. He is hitting a microscopic .045.

Naturally, when you see these moves, or lack of moves so to speak, Colletti’s name appears to move up right behind Mattingly’s when it comes to potential firings.

So if Mattingly gets the axe, who would be the most likely candidate to take over? I am sure the Dodgers would love to make a splash with a big name. The question is whether they will do it this season.  If they decide to wait, the team may not have to look much further than the first or third base coaching box.

A very popular choice with the fans would be first base coach Davey Lopes. Lopes was the second baseman during the “golden infield” days of Ron Cey at third, Bill Russell at short and Steve Garvey at first. The Dodgers went to four World Series in the ten years they were together. Lopes managed the Milwaukee Brewers from 2000 until mid-2002. The team was 144-195 during his tenure.  He was the Phillies first base coach from 2007-2010. The Phillies won four division titles and a World Series while he was there. Lopes rejoined the Dodgers in 2011.

Third base coach Tim Wallach also has limited managerial experience albeit at the minor league level.  He managed the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2009.  Wallach also served as Dodgers batting coach in 2004 and 2005.  He currently has two sons in the minor leagues, one in the Dodgers farm system.

I perceive Mattingly won’t get a break but Collett will get a reprieve. Then again, I could be wrong because I know nothing.

Upping the ante

The Dodgers Matt Kemp is from Oklahoma so it wasn’t surprising that a guy who signed a $160 million contract wanted to make a donation towards rebuilding the state after the deadly tornado earlier this week.  What surprised some people was the somewhat paltry amount he offered to pledge.

Kemp stated he would donate $1,000 for each home run he hit between now and the All-Star break. Considering he is on pace to hit about eight home runs this season, his pledge looked awfully cheap,  especially in light of Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant’s $1 million donation.

Andre Ethier (left) and Matt Kemp have been in the public eye of late for different reasons.

Now it appears Kemp is responding to the negative talk.  Wednesday, Kemp made the following statement:

“Dear Families of OKC,
On Monday, out of concern and emotion I committed $1,000.00 for every home run I hit until the All-Star Break. It was a quick and small gesture in advance of what I knew would be my greater contribution through your rebuilding process. I am keeping my pledge and in addition, donating $250,000.00. May God bless you through this and the many generous donations coming to your aid.” -Matt Kemp #PrayforOklahoma”

Star fading in the eyes of Mattingly?

Manager Don Mattingly decided to bench outfielder Andre Ethier for the finale versus the Brewers Wednesday afternoon.  Tired or injured perhaps? Neither according to this tweet sent out by LA Times beat writer Dylan Hernandez.

“Andre Ethier is not hurt. Mattingly said Ethier is sitting because he wants to field team that will compete the best. ”

Ethier signed a five year, $85 million deal with the Dodgers last year in spite of him having a somewhat rocky relationship with Mattingly.  The two have exhibited signs of tension in the past.  This is not the first time Mattingly has kept Ethier on the bench but this one was unusual since one would assume the left-handed hitting Ethier is one of the stars who can get this team back on track and the Brewers were starting a right-handed pitcher.

The 2013 NBA Draft is set for Thursday, June 27, and last night the Cleveland Cavaliers secured their third No. 1 overall pick in the last 11 years. With the lack of foreseeable star-power in this year’s class, it will be intriguing to see if Dan Gilbert and the Cavaliers organization can create the same luck that they found in LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.

Without further ado, here is the first 2013 NBA mock draft:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers — Nerlens Noel, Center, Kentucky

2. Orlando Magic — Ben McLemore, Shooting Guard, Kansas

3. Washington Wizards – Otto Porter, Small Forward, Georgetown

4. Charlotte Bobcats — Victor Oladipo, Shooting Guard, Indiana

5. Phoenix Suns — Anthony Bennett, Power Forward, UNLV

6. New Orleans Pelicans — Alex Len, Center, Maryland

7. Sacramento Kings — Shabazz Muhamad, Small Forward, UCLA

8. Detroit Pistons — Trey Burke, Point Guard, Michigan

9. Minnesota Timberwolves — C.J. McCollum, Guard, Lehigh

10. Portland Trailblazers — Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Shooting Guard, Georgia

11. Philadelphia 76ers — Cody Zeller, Power Forward, Indiana

12. Oklahoma City Thunder — Steven Adams, Center, Pittsbrugh

13. Dallas Mavericks — Allen Crabbe, Shooting Guard, California

14. Utah Jazz — Dario Saric, Small Forward, Croatia

15. Milwaukee Bucks — Michael Carter-Williams, Point Guard, Syracuse

16. Boston Celtics — Jamaal Franklin, Shooting Guard, San Diego State

17. Atlanta Hawks — Mason Plumlee, Power Forward, Duke

18. Atlanta Hawks — Glen Rice Jr., Small Forward, Georgia Tech

19. Cleveland Cavaliers — Gorgui Dieng, Power Forward, Louisville

20. Chicago Bulls — Rudy Gobert, Center, France

21. Utah Jazz — Dennis Schroeder, Point Guard, Germany

22. Brooklyn Nets — Jeff Withey, Center, Kansas

23. Indiana Pacers — Kelly Olynyk, Power Forward, Gonzaga

24. New York Knicks – Sergey Karasev, Small Forward, Russia

25. L.A. Clippers — Shane Larkin, Point Guard, Miami

26. Minnesota Timberwolves – Lucas Noguiera, Center, Brazil

27. Denver Nuggets — Reggie Bullock, Small Forward, North Carolina

28. San Antonio Spurs — Tim Hardaway Jr., Shooting Guard, Michigan

29. Oklahoma City Thunder — C.J. Leslie, Small Forward, N.C. State

30. Phoenix Suns — Alex Abrines, Shooting Guard, Spain

Who will win game one of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers? Read and find out why not only game one, but this series as a whole will be an exciting one to watch!

The Miami Heat will play the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night in game one of this best of seven Eastern Conference Finals series. Tip off is scheduled for 8:30 (EST) and the game will be televised on TNT.

This will be a rematch of the Eastern Conference semifinals last year where the Pacers had the Heat right where they wanted them, as they were up 2-1 after the first three games of the series. But superstar Dwayne Wade and MVP LeBron James double handily took over the next three games and sent Indiana packing, while the Heat advanced into the next round and later winning the NBA Championship.

The feud between the two teams have already began, even before a game has been played. Indiana’s head coach Frank Vogel had this to say about the defending champions after his team clinched their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2004:

“It’s exciting, but this is not about getting back at Miami. If you’re in the final four you’re competing for a championship. And they’re just the next team that’s in our way. That’s how we’re approaching it.”

LeBron James then decided to defend his Miami Heat teammates. James said:

“We’re not just another team. I don’t understand what he’s saying. But we’re not just another team. That’s not true. He said we’re just another team in their way. We’re a great team. If we’re just another team, you really don’t prepare for just another team. You have to prepare for us.”

Vogel later apologized for his comments, but with the history of these two teams, I think it’s safe to say the apology was not accepted, and Vogel would probably have it that way too. Vogel is a confident coach and he knows his Pacers players will back up his words.

But the Pacers will need to be confident, because in terms of experience, Miami Heat wins that category by a landslide.

According to an article on ESPN.com, only one current Pacers player has ever appeared in a conference-final game, and that was backup big man Ian Mahinmi, who played exactly 71 seconds in one game of the 2011 West title series without so much as taking a shot.

For Miami, this marks five East finals appearances in nine years for Wade and Udonis Haslem. For LeBron James, it’s a fifth trip to this round in the past seven years, now three straight with Miami after a pair of trips to the East finals with Cleveland. For Ray Allen, it’s a fourth East title-round trip in six years, the first three of those coming with Boston.

But the Pacers do one-up Miami in the categories of size and strength. Expect the Pacers big men to give the Heat’s big men problems all series long. Indiana ranks first in team rebounds with 54.8, whereas Miami ranks last in team rebounding, averaging 46.7 a game.

That doesn’t mean I don’t expect Miami to win the series, although if there was any team that can beat them it would be Indiana because of their height advantages (and Memphis, but they have to beat SanAntonio first). Expect a physical series between these two teams and a lot of technical fouls being called, seeing that both teams already have a hatred towards one other even when a second of a game has yet to be played.

I do expect Miami to take game one of this series. I believe Vogel’s comments will spark Miami to come out strong in the beginning and hold off this grind-it-out Pacers squad. The final score of game one will be 105-91, in Miami Heat’s favor.

Credit: AP

On May 19^th, on the road against the Twins, Sox set-up man Koji Uehara was in the middle of a hellish 8^th:  a leadoff double to pinch-hitter Wilkin Ramirez, a walk to light-light-hitting shortstop Pedro Florimon, and a single to Jamey Carroll.  With two-down and the bases loaded, the Sox up 3-1, Koji faced Joe Mauer, one of the few bright spots on a struggling Twins lineup. Koji reared back: Ball, Foul, Foul, Ball. Then one of the pitches Sox fans have come to love: an 88mph 2-seamer up and away, catching Mauer swinging. Inning over.

What came next is what has made Koji Uehara possibly the most beloved reliever in my memory as a Sox fan. He pounded his fist joyfully into his glove, ran towards catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, patted his chest as if to say “My bad” with a smile on his face. And then he stopped Salty halfway to the dugout and hugged him.

Not a pat on the back. Not a bump on the fist. A hug. Square shoulders, face to face, hug, with a thankful whisper in the ear to boot. Then Koji did what every Sox fan relishes watching: skipping through the crowded dugout, making sure he high-fives every single player there, waiting at the entrance to congratulate the defensive players arriving behind him.

———————————————

The Major League Baseball reliever is a fickle thing. He is oft-criticized and rarely commended, the equivalent to the goalie in soccer or the kicker in football. You are supposed to be automatic, to finish what the rest of your team has started. When you fail, the fan’s reaction is always disbelief, “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

All of this is to say is you have to be something of a lunatic to be a major-league reliever, and the Red Sox bullpen of recent years has had their fair share . In one of the most demanding cities to be a sports professional (or so Carl Crawford says), with a rabid fan base and hyper-critical press, the Red Sox are a tough team to fail on, and not every reliever, no matter how sparkly their resume, has been up to the task. Former All-Stars like Eric Gagne (whose name still draws curses from my father) or Bobby Jenks all bottomed out here. Some pitchers had one great season only to completely fall apart the next, like Hideki Okajima or (still hoping not) Daniel Bard. Some were absolutely crazy even when they stopped being productive, like Julian Tavarez or Alfred Aceves. The most successful Red Sox reliever of the last decade was Jonathan Papelbon, he of the John-Lithgow-if-he-was-30-years-younger-and-was-a-serial-killer stare.

Which is why this year’s pen is such a breath of fresh air. Alex Wilson, the congenial 26-year-old rookie, somehow has a 1.46 ERA. Andrew Miller, the 6-7 southpaw, is finally starting to come around, even drawing some praise from John Farrell. Junichi Tazawa, like last year, has been dynamite in the 7^th, and will be just as good when he moves back there in the coming weeks. Andrew Bailey is proving this year that the Bailey-Reddick trade wasn’t as much of a disaster as it looked last season, an All-Star closer if he can stay healthy. And there’s more to come: Craig Breslow has just come back from injury, Franklin Morales is rehabbing in the minors, and maybe, just maybe, Daniel Bard can figure it all out and thrive in low-pressure situations to get his confidence back.

And of course there’s Koji. The 38-year-old journeyman that acts after every hold, every perfect inning, like you imagine a rookie feels but is too self-conscious to exhibit. His rituals (the pumping of the fist, the constant high-fiving) are a joy to watch. Of course, all of this would be meaningless if he wasn’t pitching well. The good news is, he is, the most sure thing in a bullpen that’s becoming increasingly reliable. On April 21^st, when he gave up his first earned run of the season, a solo shot to Royals’ DH Billy Butler, I was horrified. One female patron of the bar I was watching the game in gasped audibly. “What??” This was Koji, who had been nothing but perfect thus far. Luckily, since then, he’s still been terrific: all told, 17 and 2/3 innings, 14 hits, 4 ER (all homers), 4 walks, AND 26 STRIKEOUTS. To be clear, Koji Uehara is no flamethrower. He rarely crosses the 90mph line. He pounds the strike zone over and over, with a jumpy splitter and what Gerry Fraley of the Dallas News called “a magic fastball”; incredibly deceptive, especially against right-handed hitters. And of course, he’s insanely likable, something you could never really say about the river-dancing madman Papelbon, and certainly could not and will not ever say about Aceves.

But that’s been the best part of the 2013 Boston Red Sox. As even my Yankee fan friends have agreed, this is the most likable Red Sox team since “The Idiots” of 2004. Gone is Bobby Valentine. Gone are apparent cancers Josh Beckett and Adrian Gonzalez. Gone is tragic figure Carl Crawford. The faces of the franchise are rightly David Ortiz, whose f-bomb and bat have electrified a troubled city, and Dustin Pedroia, 3^rd in the AL in batting average and still a fantastic glove. Shane Victorino is easily the happiest/smiliest man in all of baseball. The five-spot slugger, Mike Napoli, rubs himself with baby oil to stay warm every game, and has been gifted the name “Hacksaw”. Stephen Drew is doing his best to make us forget he’s related to J.D. Daniel Nava has gone from forgotten fourth outfielder to folk hero. And I don’t care how bad Jonny Gomes’ batting average is (.190 if you’re wondering) I still love how hard he runs, and his thunderous high five with Nava after the “Boston, This Is For You” home run. I mean even John Lackey’s become pretty tolerable!!

So far, though, the iconic image of this season for me as a fan has been Koji Uehara hugging his catcher after getting out of a jam. For a sport dominated by numbers and individual effort, this year’s Red Sox are the closest I’ve ever seen to acting like a team, and that’s pretty wonderful.

Of course, if the Sox fall apart by mid-July, this will seem a lot less adorable. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.