Dice-K Comes In For Relief of Japan

As we all know Japan has suffered a horrible disaster on March 11, 2011 and the game of baseball has took a hit as well. Not only has it delayed the start to the Japanese baseball seasons but it affected the Japanese players in the United States. Several players felt it was their place to help out their native land including Red Sox RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka who donated $1 Million to the Red Sox Foundation.100% of the money that was donated will be given to the Japanese Red Cross Society’s relief efforts.

Daisuke and the rest of the Japanese pitchers on the Red Sox have been standing outside of spring training games to raise funds for the relief effort. “To date, the Red Sox Foundation has rasised more than $1.3 million from fans, team partners and sponsors, and Red Sox players and staff, including Matsuzaka’s gift and a $50,000 donation from the Red Sox Foundation. The donations will go to support the Japanese Red Cross Society’s relief efforts.” That statement came from the Red Sox press release.

I am a little surprised it took so long for Daisuke to pitch into help the relief efforts as he is set to make $10 million dollars this year alone. Better late than never is the way to think about this though it is a great donation and will help the people of Japan.

Red Sox players are not the only major leaguers helping out the efforts in Japan. Ichiro Suzuki has donated $1.2 million dollars back on March 18^th. Ichiro plays for the Seattle Mariners which have an extremely large Japanese fan base since Ichiro joined the team in 2001 and feel it is there place to help out and are matching the donation of their fans. Another player that has pitched in to help out is former Yankee and current Oakland A Hideki Matsui game $600,000.

The people in America may not know anyone personally involved with the tragedy in Japan but I believe Tom Werner says best how our connection is with the people of Japan. "Red Sox fans share a common language with the people of Japan through our shared love of baseball,”

If you would like to do your part to help out you can do it in one of two ways you can donate straight to the Red Cross or you can donate through the Red Sox Foundation.

D-Mac Talks About His Time in Boston

Darnell McDonald become one of Red Sox fans favorite reserves last season. He came into Boston when Jacoby Ellsbury went the the disabled list and come in a pinch hit situation and hits a home run to tie the game and if that wasn't enough he came back to hit another to win it.

McDonald a former first round draft pick back in 1997 has had a long run in the minor leagues but he believes last season was his chance to prove he was able to play in the big leagues. It looks like D-Mac will make the team coming out of spring training which will be his second time in his long career and will be a fifth outfielder.

It looks like McDonald likes to play at Fenway as much as the fans love to watch him. Check out the interview that he gave with NESN about his hopes to have a "special" year.

Are You Ready Yet? The Red Sox Are All In

Red Sox fans are you excited for the season if not maybe this video from NESN will make you more ready! Just one more week until baseball begins.

2011 Red Sox Rotation Set

Terry Francona put out the starting rotations and it was not how any of the fans expected it to be. Most fans expected a line up something like this going John Lester, Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz, John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka. But boy were they wrong. Last week Tito put out the rotation and it will begin with John Lester as many believed but it just goes wild from there. The number two starter of the staff will be John Lackey followed by Clay Buchholz, Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Lackey in the number two spot makes people ask questions and needs an explanation from Francona.

"I think we feel like Lack has a way of matching up with whoever he’s pitching against, whether a guy is a No. 1 or No. 5, you look up in the seventh and you have a chance to win, which we really like. Buck did so good [in 2010], I think we feel like having Buck come out third just enhances our chances to win a little bit. Buck’s numbers would say he can pitch anywhere. I just think Lack’s a veteran, he’s done it. I just think spacing him and Lester, there’s something to be said for that, too. Lack showed up in great shape and looks like he’s ready to go. Ultimately, if they pitch like they should, it’s not going to matter and if they don’t pitch like they should, it’s not going to matter."

The fact of the matter is there is no such thing as a true five man rotation this early in the season. Reason being there will be rain outs and injuries that will change starts throughout the season. Players will miss starts and that will change it for the rest of the season.

The thing that surprised me the most is how last season Josh Beckett was considered the ace of the staff and has moved down so low. Out of a sign of respect the last couple of seasons he has been the opening day starter and some thought that may happen again this season. Last season Beckett had an off year and suffered several injuries. He even got paid big time and that shows favoritism was no play putting him in the fourth spot.

When ask how Beckett felt he said, "Those are his decisions. Just like I would always feel like he would back me up, I back him up on his decision, as well. It is what it is. I don't get paid to make those decisions. Tito makes those decisions. I don't want that job. I never want that job. I'll let him make those decisions and I'll go out and do the best I can to put us in the best position to win."

Let’s hope Beckett has a bounce back year and doesn’t let this effect the way he is pitching since he has a long term deal with the Red Sox.

Red Sox Land Two Players in Top 20 Jersey Sales

The top Jersey sales in 2010 are finally in and the Red Sox landed two players in the top 20. Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury landed on this list. Pedroia was number eight on list and Ellsbury’s no. 2 landed 16 on the list.

As far as team sales got the Red Sox finish second to the Yankees in all of baseball.

When ask about how Pedroia feels about being in the top sales he went on to say.

"It's cool," Pedroia said of seeing fans wear his number 15. "When we're playing at home at Fenway it's fun, because it seems like everybody in the whole stadium has one of our jerseys, and we all kind of look up there and see who it is. It just makes it fun."

They ask if he wore a jersey as a kid he replied saying that he had a Barry Bonds jersey. If you have ever read his book Born to Play:My Life in the Game than you would know that the California native was a huge fan of Bonds as a kid.

As for Ellsbury he was a fan of “the kid” Ken Griffey Jr. as all fans of baseball under the age of 30. Everyone grew up wearing Griffey’s jersey with our hat on backwards and so did Jacoby.

Ellsbury was extremely excited to see how many of his jerseys were sold in 2010 granted his injury pledged season.

"It just goes to show I'm blessed to have these great fans that go to the game and support me. It's exciting," he said. "It's always special. Here at Spring Training, just to see all the kids rolling in, wearing all the jerseys, supporting us, cheering, just seeing their excitement. When you step up to the plate and take the field, just seeing someone wearing your jersey is even more special.”

I predict that more players will be named to this list in 2011 with what all the players who were added to the roster.

Buck Showalter questions Theo Epstein's Intelligence

We are one week from the start of the season and most managers are preparing to put their team on the field and making fine tuning. Well not Orioles manager Buck Showalter who is taking the time to talk trash. He decided to take what little time he has left to talk about Yankees captain Derek Jeter and Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein.

Showalter took over the Orioles mid-season and ended up having a winning second half after such a poor start prior to his tenure. He was interviewed following a spring training lose to the Yankees. This is when he let it all out there.

When he got on the topic of Jeter he was a little upset about something Jeter does. If you have watched his at bats Jeter does that little thing where he leans over the plate and makes the ball look closer to a ball when really it’s in the paint. He tries to get a ball out of pitches that he really doesn’t want to swing at.

“The first time we went to Yankee Stadium, I screamed at Derek Jeter from the dugout,” Showalter said. “Our guys are thinking, ‘Wow, he’s screaming at Derek Jeter.’ Well, he’s always jumping back from balls just off the plate. I know how many calls that team gets – and yes, he [ticks] me off.”

Talking about Jeter’s strike zone is justified though many players to this. Jeter is the king of doing this even going as far to acting like he got hit by pitch last season when it hit the knob of the bat. Showalter has justice to be upset but he doesn’t stop there next he moves on to wonder boy Theo Epstein.

“I’d like to see how smart Theo Epstein is with the Tampa Bay payroll,” he said. “You got Carl Crawford ’cause you paid more than anyone else, and that’s what makes you smarter? That’s why I like whipping their butt. It’s great, knowing those guys with the $205 million payroll are saying, ‘How the hell are they beating us?’ ”

Wow, Showalter really went there? When it comes to the Red Sox, yes we do have a lot of money but talking about Epstein like he isn’t smart is uncalled for. When it comes to buying players the Red Sox are not the team that is guilty of that. The Red Sox are the king of developing talent and using that home grown talent. During the Epstein era the Sox have developed players such as Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury and even has players in the minors ready to go. Epstein has developed the strongest minor league system that is all a result of his drafting ability. If he was not smart would he be able to draft such a strong system.

Now when it comes to Carl Crawford being on the Red Sox it is more of a reward for what they believe he will do in the future. Now yes he did go to the highest bidder but why would so many players be bidding for his services if he wasn’t an amazing player. If the Orioles system had a smarter system of drafting and developing winning players they might have the money to get free agents off the market.

Theo Epstein is a Yale graduate with a law degree and passed the Califorina bar exam on his first try if he was a stupid guy do you think he could do this? I think not. Epstein is a GM who is a believer in sabermetrics which is one of the hardest ways to evaluate a player in baseball and he was able to win not only one but two rings for Boston. Epstein is an extremely smart general manager and Buck Showalter is just jealous he isn’t his GM.

Red Sox Lineup vs. Twins 3/1/11

Today the Red Sox take on the Twins at 1:05 in hopes gain a lead in this years Mayors cup.

Starting Lineup for Boston

Marco Scutaro SS

Jed Lowrie 2B

Mike Cameron DH

Kevin Youkilis 3B

Ryan Kalish CF

Darnell McDonald LF

Jarrod Saltalamacchia C

Josh Reddick RF

Drew Sutton 1B

John Lester SP

Relief Pitchers in this order

Alfredo Aceves

Jonathon Paplebon

Randy Williams

Rich Hill

Beckett Feels Better Following Hit to Head

As mentioned yesterday Josh Beckett received a hit to the head during batting practice yesterday and shown signs of a minor concussion. Today Beckett meet with press today saying that “I feel better.”

It appears as if a little rest at home paid off for Beckett.

"How do I feel? I feel arlight. I feel better today. I felt like I got hit in the head. I think getting rid of some of the headache stuff I had yesterday is probably good. No activity I guess today."

As for what he remember of the incidence or how he feels about it he went on to say.

"You go through a bunch of different emotions. At first, you're [mad] because you don't know what happened. Then, I tried to walk and I got real dizzy and just kind of took a knee. You just kind of go through everything. I really didn't even know what happened. I didn't know if I got hit by a ball from another field or what. "

It appears the injury occurred to behind the temple on the left side of his head. It sounds as if Beckett will be ok but will have to be monitored for the next couple of days to see how he feels. Though the headaches were gone from the accident he was dizzy and had trouble negotiating stairs. The Staff of the Red Sox are monitoring this situation closely. So close that Beckett went on the say. “They don’t even want me watching tv.”

The Red Sox have set no timetable on Beckett’s return to the mound. His next start is scheduled for Thursday against the Phillies. Most believe that this date will be pushed back until they know Beckett is 100 percent healthy.