Triage
As promised.
- First things first; Matt Clement's CT scan came back negative, so I think that qualifies as 'the best we could hope for'. I hope Matt is recovering well, and that that recovery goes smoothly and quickly. Best of luck/health, Matt.
- Trot Nixon has been diagnosed, via NESN, with a strained oblique. I'm guessing 3 weeks minimum, 4 or 5 more likely. Again, best wishes for a speedy recovery, Trot (though this one is a little more tinged with 'good for the team' than the mortal fear from the Clement injury).
- Manny Delcarmen's debut, I think, can be called an unqualified success; a swinging K of Johnny Gomes, followed by two groundouts - a 4-3 from Travis Lee and a 1-6-3 from Alex Gonzalez which - frighteningly - glanced off Delcarmen on the mound. Luckily, it struck him in a rather more padded spot than the side of the head, if you get my meaning. My meaning, of course, being that it hit him on the ass. Congrats, Manny. Here's hoping there are many more 1-2-3 innings in your future, and more symbolic ass-kickings than literal ones.
- Through all of that, the Red Sox appear to have actually won the game, their second extra-inning contest of the year (coming a day after the first). A Damon homer and a Jason Varitek RBI double provided the (necessary) two-run cushion in the top of the tenth, and Schilling allowed only one run (hey, I'll take what I can get) in the bottom of the inning to seal the victory. A Varitek homer, by the way, was also responsible for tying the game in the 9th, giving the Sox a chance to pull it out.
So, let's play GM for a second. There are, it would seem, two possible situations. The first is that only Nixon goes on the DL, th second is that both Clement and Nixon wind up there. I'm also assuming no trades, though I imagine there will be at least one.
In situation 1, there are two options. First is to play Hyzdu in right and call up either another reliever (presumably Abe Alvarez) while Gonzalez gets a shift in the rotation or Gabe Kapler as another 5th OF. The second is to call up Kapler and have him split RF duties with Hyzdu and Stern for the duration. Of these, the most likely to me is option A; Clement, regardless of whether he's DL'ed, will almost certainly miss a start, and the obvious fill-in, Gonzalez, would leave a hole in the pen. Alvarez would fill it.
Situation 2 makes things more interesting. DL'ing both Clement and Nixon means here are two roster holes; Alvarez is the obvious choice to fill one of them. The other, though, is more problematic. There's no one in the minors - Kapler included - who can fill that hole; Hyzdu or Kapler could replicate his defense adequately, but no where close to his offense. But there is another option; Roberto Petagine.
What's that, you say? Petagine is a first baseman? That's true. Which means we'd have to do something with our current 1B... who also happens to be an occasional OF. So, here is what I propose; call up Roberto Petagine from Pawtucket, and put him at first. Move Kevin Millar to right. If he sucks, and Petagine doesn't, bench Millar and let Hyzdu or Kapler take over. If he doesn't suck, leave him there. But Petagine is the only way to maintain the offensive ability of the lineup, and frankly I'll take the defensive downgrade over the offensive one. Plus, if Millar in right is an absolute disaster, the replacements are right there on the bench. To me, this is the most reasonable option. Is it the most likely? Probably not. But I'd like to see them try.
Update: The more I read about this game, the more it screams 'potential turning point'. It was apparently an amazing game, and we apparetly clawed bck, and I'm apparently really mad I missed the last 4 innings of it. But, if it oes in fact become one of those mythic 'turning points' - which I'm not sure I really believe in - I wanted to say it now so I can link back to this post and look prescient.
Aside: If there was any doubt that Johnny Damon is deserving of a huge contract, it was erased. I had been waffling over whether he should be re-signed or allowed to walk, but his performance last night gave me a gut feeling that Theo et al should do whatever is necessary to keep him short of a Manny-esque contract.
Another roster option would be getting Papelbon up for a start. Since he started last night for the PawSox, Clement's next start would be right on schedule for him, and even if Clement is not DLed they could call up Papelbon briefly into Trot's spot, and then exchange him afterward for Petagine. I would probably also demote Hyzdu for Kapler. I feel like having Hyzdu, Stern, and Kapler (and Millar) on the team all at once is a little ridiculous--none of these hits that well, unless Millar is going into his late-season hot streak, at which point, three other OFs is still excessive; of the four of them, Hyzdu seems the most expendable (if Kapler is in fact ready to come up).
I saw something very similar to Clement's headshot occur in a game I played in in little league about 15 years ago. Line drive off the pitcher's head; the ball went straight up about 30 feet in the air. The pitcher, amazingly, was not seriously injured; it hit off the top rear of his head, and there was no fracture and no concussion, just a big sore bruise. Skulls are pretty amazing things. (Comment this)
I certainly hope it was a turning point, but there are just so many things wrong with this team right now that I find it hard to believe that one game will set them back on the right track. The offense is not clicking, the starting pitching has been spotty, and the bullpen is still recovering. Schilling has been far from reliable as a closer - he was lucky to have a successful conclusion to last night's contest, and he hasn't had a smooth save since early last week. This also, of course, raises the question of whether he'd be any more reliable as a starter...
Adam made a point about Damon. For those who didn't see it, his game-saving catch in the 9th was an outstanding play - not quite as flashy as his Bob's store catch a couple of years back, but a really outstanding play, jumping several feet right at the wall, under pressure, to take a double and a win away from the Rays. He then led off with a no-doubter to right (on the first pitch, I think) in the 10th. Too bad he'll want an unreasonable number of years...
My guess is that Nixon is definitely on the DL, probably for six weeks, and that Clement just misses a start. Based on my belief that Tito will never stop playing Millar, I think that we should give Kapler a chance in right and send Hyzdu down if required. But this may also change their trade priorities...
Anyway, incredible (and very stressful) game. For about three innings after Clement got hit, I just didn't care who won. But when we heard he was OK, I definitely wanted to beat these guys. (Comment this)
Dad, re: Manny - I agree. I don't particularly care that he's not a great fielder or baserunner, the wayhe hits he doesn't have to be. But as with any other job, he's paid to do a certain number of things, and one of those is run to first base. And, yeah, I have no idea if Francona even mentions something like that to Manny, bu I hope someone does. It's really not asking much.
Though I will throw out there that Manny had a hammy tweak a few days back... if that's still bothering him, that puts a somewhat different light on it.
Adam - I'll be surprised if we see Papelbon... He's had 3 starts at AAA and one of them wasn't very good. I'd rather keep him there for August, until the AAA season is over, then maybe call him up, assuming we can afford the 40-man spot. (Comment this)
Bill Meuller tied the game in the ninth with a clutch two out double in the ninth.
And the sox are considering trading him? I know Youk is a more than adequate replacement, but Meuller would be a big loss. For a guy that would give us 20 innings the rest of the way. I say give those innings to Delcarmen/Lester/et al. I'm not sure why they didn't bring these guys up earlier. I was saying it two weeks ago. (Comment this)