12eight

There's been something in the water for the last 7 days.  For a team that had been waiting for the first shoe to drop all season, we had an entire wardrobe collapse on us in this the run-up to the All-Star Break: 2 DL trips, a trade, a DFA, clubhouse intrigue after clubhouse intrigue, and a bizarre plan for an ace starter.  As I started to think about this post, I scrolled back, and was amazed at the little things that told a story; so here they are, from Saturday, July 2nd to today.

Saturday, 7/2

• Matt Mantei is placed on the disabled list, after finally admitting to Terry Francona the severity of his ankle injury. 
• Abe Alvarez is called up from Pawtucket to take his spot on the roster. 
• The Red Sox, recovering from one of their worst losses of the season, defeat the Blue Jays 6-4, behind a decent outing by David Wells and 2.1 scoreless innings of relief, capped by a Keith Foulke save. 
• Johnny Damon extended his hitting streak to 18 games.

Sunday, 7/3

• The Red Sox fall 5-2 to the Toronto Blue Jays, after failing to score more than a single run off of ace Roy Halladay. 
• The Sox bullpen allows two runs in the top of the ninth, before the offense stages a mini-rally, scoring on and leaving the bases loaded.  Johnny Damon, who earlier extended his hitting streak to 19 games (a career best), pops out to end the frustrating loss. 
• After the game, Abe Alvarez and utility infielder Ramon Vazquez are sent down to Pawtucket, in favor of Lenny DiNardo and Jeremi Gonzalez; Alvarez did not see any action in his stay. 
• Only a couple hours later, Terry Francona and MLB announce the American League All-Star roster.  Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, and Johnny Damon are all selected.  Matt Clement and Mike Timlin are not. 
• Mariners 2B Bret Boone is designated for assignment, leading to rampant speculation that the Sox will try to acquire him along with Seattle closer Eddie Guardado.

Monday, 7/4

• Curt Schilling makes his second rehab start in Pawtucket, but it does not go as well as his first; Schilling is tabbed for 5 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks though he struck out 8.  After the game, Schilling claims to have had trouble replicating his delivery and maintaining consistency; he reports being 'frustrated' with the start.  
• In further minor league news, AA Portland ace and top Sox pitching prospect Jon Papelbon is promoted to AAA Pawtucket, and young phenom Anibal Sanchez is moved to AA to take his place. 
• In Texas, things become explosive for the Red Sox; after jumping out to a 5-3 lead on an 8th inning 2-run homer by Manny Ramirez, Mike Timlin allows an 8th inning run that narrows the lead to 5-4.  Still, Keith Foulke comes in to record the final out of the inning and take the game to the ninth.  Then, in the bottom of the ninth, Foulke records an out... and nothing else, as the Rangers put up 2 runs on a series of extra-base hits and win the game on a walk-off hit by Kevin Mench.  This proves the last straw for Boston fans, who call for Foulke's head.
• Johnny Damon extends his hitting streak to 20 games.

Tuesday, 7/5

• After blowing another save the previous evening, Keith Foulke returns to Boston to have his knees examined.  Terry Francona claims that he had to force Foulke to do so. 
• Grumblings start filtering out of the Sox clubhouse, as players express displeasure at Matt Clement's All-Star snub.
• Jay Payton continues to complain about playing time. 
• Amidst this, Tim Wakefield goes and pitches his heart out, going 8 innings in an effort to save the ailing pen.  He allows 4 runs, but does what he needs to do as the Sox score 7, 4 of them on Manny Ramirez's 20th career Grand Slam - good for 2nd place all-time behind Lou Gehrig's 23.  Mike Timlin pitches a perfect ninth for his second save of the season. 
• Johnny Damon aggravates his shoulder on a diving catch in the ninth inning.  Earlier, he extended his hitting streak to 21 games.

Wednesday 7/6

• By mid-day, a story begins to seep out of Pawtucket that Curt Schilling will be moved to the bullpen.  Before long, the story is confirmed, as Theo Epstein and Terry Francona make separate statements to the media claiming that Schilling is not ready to start, but can be dominant over short stints. 
• Opinion on the move is sharply divided, both among the fans and within the clubhouse.  Johnny Damon openly and sharply questions the move, accusing the front office of panicking despite a first-place berth. 
• Keith Foulke is officially placed on the 15-day disabled list, and Scott Cassidy is called up from AAA to take the empty bullpen spot. 
• AA reliever and West Roxbury native Manny Delcarmen is promoted to Pawtucket; in his first appearance, he throws 2 strong innings, allowing a hit and striking out 5. 
• It's announced that Curt Schilling will pitch in relief in Pawtucket's night game - a game that will be started by Jon Papelbon. 
• Peter Gammons reports that Kevin Millar has asked to be traded. 
• Despite the clubhouse controversy, Matt Clement takes the mound and puts up a strong effort, going 8.2 innings and allowing 4 runs while striking out four.  However, after recording the first two outs of the ninth inning, Clement allows a single, and is pulled by Francona in favor of Alan Embree, who strikes out the final batter of the game and collects his first save.  Clement is seen gesturing animatedly in the dugout, and later expresses displeasure both at being pulled and at being left off the AL All-Star team. 
• Johnny Damon extends his hitting streak to 22 games.
• A situation develops as Jay Payton becomes openly hostile to both Trot Nixon an Terry Francona in the clubhouse do to a lineup maneuver that he felt was designed to deny him an opportunity to hit. Francona loses patience, and orders Payton to remove his luggage from the team plane and take a separate flight to Baltimore.

Thursday, 7/7

• Anibal Sanchez has his first start at AA, and does admirably, going 4 innings in a short stint, allowing no runs on 2 hits and two walks, while striking out 6.   
• During the Portland game, a report comes out of Boston that Jay Payton has been designated for assignment following a clubhouse incident; details of the incident filter out throughout the day.
• Reports emerge that a deal sending Payton to the Oakland A's for injured reliever Chad Bradford has been completed, but cannot be officially announced until around the All-Star break.
• Ramon Vazquez, who earlier in the week had been demoted to AAA, is traded to Cleveland for utility infielder Alex Cora.  It is a money-saving move by the Indians, and it gives the Red Sox a defensive whiz to backup Renteria and Bellhorn.
• Adam Stern is called to Boston; he will start the evening game in Baltimore as Damon has a scheduled day off to rest his shoulder.
• Lenny DiNardo is returned to AAA Pawtucket, without having pitched in a game during this trip.
• In Pawtucket, Jon Papelbon has a stunning debut, pitching 6 innings, allowing 1 ER and 3 hits while striking out 7 and walking none.  The Pawtucket bullpen can't hold on, as Cla Meredith and Juan Perez give up the game.  Curt Schilling pitches the ninth, but allows a run on 2 hits and a walk.  He strikes out 2.
• Fans are angered as they see the Red Sox trot out a lineup that does not include Johnny Damon, Manny Ramirez, Jason Varitek, or Edgar Renteria for the opening game of the Orioles series.
• The game is called due to rain in the 6th inning, and the Sox take a tough 3-1 loss.  Johnny Damon does not play.

Friday, 7/8

• Ruth Pesky, wife of Johnny, passes away at the age of 82.
• The Red Sox win 7-2 behind a strong, 8 inning effort by Bronson Arroyo; it is the third straight (nine inning) game in which a Red Sox starter has pitched 8 innings. The Red Sox extend their lead in the AL East to 3.5 games, and the Orioles sink to third, behind the Yankees.
• Kevin Millar denies reports that he asked for a trade, somewhat convincingly.
• Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay is struck on the shin by a line drive, potentially opening a spot for Matt Clement on the AL All-Star team.  Halladay will be out for a month, potentially ending the Jays threat in the AL East.
• Johnny Damon extends his hitting streak to 23 games.

So, as Terry Francona just said on the FOX broadcast, it's been a long week.  We've seen two players leave, two relievers arrive and leave (without throwing a single pitch), two DL stints to key bullpen figures, a swap of utility infielders, and more controversy than I can remember with this team in quite a while.  Sounds like things have calmed down; Millar brushed off trade rumors, and Damon has backed off his remarks.  Clement has calmed, and may yet wind up on the team.  Despite the angst, the Sox won 4 of 7 and assured themselves first-place at the break.  There will be more moves to come, as the Payton deal goes through and Schilling is activated.  But, when we look back on this season, the week that was will stand out as the moment when the frustrations of the first half - as many frustrations as a first place team can have - came bubbling to the surface, and the first changes were seen.