Oct 23

Vital Villa

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Striker James Collins has gone on a three-month loan to Darlington managed by former Villa star Steve Staunton. Defenders Eric Lichaj and Nathan Baker have join Lincoln on month long loans.

Seriously good night in store with Big Ron and Paul McGrath, can you resist? A Night With Big Ron & Paul McGrath

Fieldy: Martin O’Neill has hit back at the recent criticism of Ashley Young, describing him as one of the best wingers in Europe. Speaking on the official site O’Neill was reacting to media reports accusing Ash of a dip in form. ‘Sometimes people need to realise how tough it is. He tracks back to help his full-back, he’s covered 40 or 50 yards and the next thing you know, the midfielder gives him the ball back and he looks up and he’s got 90 yards to go and about 15 players to beat.’ Full article: O’Neill Defends Ash

A rumour in the Metro says we are after Manchester City defender Micah Richards and Spurs striker Roman Pavlyuchenko this January. Pants to the first one, do we really need anymore defenders? As for the striker link, probably total pants also although a lot will depend on whether Heskey and John Carew find their shooting boots up until Jan? Hope not though, I’ll never remember how to spell that name!

MON has spoken ahead of the local derby v Wolves telling Sky Sports (live on Sky this Saturday, 12:45pm kick off): “We will be up for the game. We can still lose the match, but we will be right for the game. The players have gained a lot of confidence from the Manchester City and Chelsea matches. We’re ready for it. I’ve already said to the players how difficult the game is going to be. They will be as ready for the game as we possibly can. That might not be good enough on the day – but they will be ready for it.”

Stephen Warnock has told SkySports News that Villa can finish in the top four: “With the players we’ve got and the way we’ve played so far this season, the results against Chelsea and Man City, people are starting to sit up and take notice of us and think we’re a real threat.”

Great article by Sheriff Kimbo: Twenty one years ago today, Aston Villa beat Everton 2-0 with goals from Tony Daley and David Platt. A fairly inconsequential game in the big scheme of things, but for your writer it was massive; it was my first time to Villa Park. One year ago today, I wrote a very long article for this site talking about the 20 year anniversary of my first game. As this season is my 20th as a season ticket holder it is another landmark, and as it is a slow news week I thought I would attempt to cobble some words together into something that is almost interesting to mark the anniversary yet again. Having thought about what to do in order to mark the occasion, I have decided to name my best team of the last 21 years. In perhaps a thought to the modern day team, I have opted for a 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation. Full article: Key to the door… the team of the last 21 years

Our regular fan interview, this time with Akela from Vital Wolves
Young_Jonah does the Vital Wolves interview

There were a few snippets of press talk on Wednesday, Hokey Cokey is okey dokey, Emile to here there and everywhere and Cardiff striker linked in: Aston Villa Press Transfer Talk

Fieldy: Whilst of the press went to Chelsea despite our victory, Monny has reminded us we haven’t ‘done nothing yet’ in the grand scheme of things. Dismissing the London bias in the press as just one of those things, Monny knows if we can win the amount of games Chelsea have over the last 5 years and achieve in real terms what they have then maybe the bias will change. Until then it’s just something we will have to put up with he said to the official site. Full quotes: Villa Boss Calls For Perspective

Fieldy: Stiliyan Petrov is delighted with the signings of Collins and Dunne, especially for the threat they bring from set pieces. In our last two games our centre halves have chipped in with goals from dead ball situations, and it’s been a threat we have lacked since the unfortunate injury to Martin Laursen. This is of course also ignoring how much stronger we look in defence because of their additions. Speaking to the official site, our Captain said: ‘Set-pieces are a big thing in football and we try to use them as much as we can. We know how good James and Ashley are at delivering the ball so we’ve just got to be more aggressive attacking the ball. We have got players that can do that and it has been paying off.’

Richard Dunne was pleased to grab his second goal in our win against Chelsea, but was quick to pass praise to his team mates. Delighted Dunne

Fieldy: Gary Gardner, brother of Craig, has signed his first professional contract with the Villa on Tuesday. Details and quotes: Gary Gardner Signs Professional Contract

Good grief, where has the week gone, not done a Villa Times since the weekends win v Chelsea! Then again, I was walking around today thinking it was Wednesday, that is the genius of old Feario basically! Anyway, Chelsea coverage:

Stats
Chelsea fans opinion on the Villa win
Match report by Sheriff Kimbo

Oct 23

Perpignan 29 Northampton Saints 13

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From giddy euphoria to sobering reality, Northampton have travelled a long way within six days. It is the sort of journey only on offer at the highest level of European competition. And so the Saints’ invigorating march came to an abrupt halt in this raucous corner of Catalonia.

Under the cosh for long periods, particularly up front, Northampton had to live on their wits, relying on the occasional sparkle of Shane Geraghty and Chris Ashton for moments to lift their valiant band of travelling support.

Perpignan really ought to have won with more to spare, butchering at least two tries. The Saints, though, hung in there, although missing out on a bonus point may be costly. Their ill-discipline was a factor although they were not happy with the officiating.

“We didn’t get any help from the referee [Nigel Owens],“ said Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder. “But it’s a good lesson for us, especially for our up-and-coming players.“
Northampton were well aware that one heroic effort does not make for a campaign and much as they strove to repeat their all-consuming display against Munster, they were on the back foot, forced to scavenge and salvage. It was a chastening experience even if they did share the try count at two apiece.

Last week’s poster boy, lock Courtney Lawes, was reduced to comparative anonymity, no surprise given the pressure exerted by the abrasive Perpignan pack. Geraghty was not without flaw, but he again showed invention as well as guts. But it was a sporadic effort all round. Northampton did not run up the white flag but they took a pounding.

This was where Northampton found out much about themselves. Not many have come through the Aime Giral ordeal. Perpignan have not lost at home in Europe in 15 matches and are unbeaten on their own patch this season.

They were in feisty mood, goaded into salty action by the ineptitude of their 9-8 loss in Treviso. As centre, Maxime Mermoz, so neatly put it: “We know we gave the rest of the rugby world a good laugh.“

The bite and snap was back. Perpignan got stuck into the Northampton set-piece, disrupting the lineout and squeezing in the scrum. They ought to have had more return than they did. But for a crass fumble by flanker, Jean-Pierre Perez with the line at his mercy, Perpignan would have been out of the blocks with a real rattle.

They did not have to wait long, however. Jerome Porical had already knocked over a penalty goal before his forward pack laid siege to the Northampton line. Time and again the Saints scrum buckled, but referee Nigel Owens only issued warnings. Finally even his patience snapped, penalty try.

Northampton’s stirring victory over Munster spoke of a side with honest traits: selflessness, togetherness and humility. They grafted for that win, backing each other to perform. They are not the flashiest, although Geraghty has been in a rich vein of form.

It was Geraghty who helped Saints recover from a torrid opening. He punched up from a lineout in the 26th minute but was back in position to send Ben Foden round on an arc. The full-back did well in delaying his pass allowing wing Chris Ashton some room. He did not waste it, chipping cleverly and timing his run on to the ball to beat Perpignan scrum-half Nicolas Durand to the touchdown with inches to spare from the dead-ball line.

But that was a lone sortie. Northampton were being stretched. Nothing had been seen of the man l’Equipe dubbed “Le Demolisseur,“ the Demolition Man, Lawes.

The inevitable fissures opened, Perpignan exploiting the fault lines. Just before half-time, fly-half Nicolas Laharrague dinked a ball in behind the Northampton defence.

Mermoz raced on to it, slipped a deft pass out of the tackle for his midfield partner, David Marty to gallop to the line having skipped out of the flailing tackle of James Downey.

Perpignan’s 20-8 lead was well-deserved.

Perpignan ought to have put the game to bed within minutes of the restart. Again, Perez was the culprit, firing out a forward pass when he could have strolled over the try line himself.

Ben Foden reacted to another Perez fumble shortly after, weaving upfield, finding Bruce Reihana on an angle who, in turn, fed Ashton. When the ball was recycled prop Saone Tongauiha teed up his front-row mate, Brian Mujati for an unlikely try.

Perpignan took what was on offer thereafter, Porical’s boot landing nine points. Northampton were gutsy but soundly beaten.

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Oct 14

Five ways to fix the Red Sox

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In the much bigger picture, maybe it is worth remembering that the Red Sox have a relatively good outlook. They just won 95 games. They have qualified for the postseason six times in the last seven years. They have a baseball operations staff that is committed to long-term sustainability more than short-term success, and they will take one step backward to ensure two steps forward.

At the moment, the problem is that the 2010 season looks like it will be a step back.

Here’s the big question: Is it likely that the Red Sox can win the 2010 World Series?

The obvious answer is no. Despite a deep pitching staff that should be very much intact — let’s not forget that — the Red Sox at the moment have an ageing lineup that will steal from the poor and give to the rich, which creates a problem come October. Like the Bruins of the ’80s and ’90s, the Red Sox suddenly seem good enough to make the playoffs, flawed enough to ultimately fall short.

Here are five suggestions on how the Sox can cure their ills:

1. Re-sign Jason Bay or replace him with Matt Holliday. Obvious, right? The free agent market is thin, and the reality is that the Sox need more offence even if they keep Bay or replace him with Holliday. If they get neither, the likelihood is that the 2010 lineup will be even worse than 2009. The Sox may be forced to rely on stop-gap measures like Bobby Abreu, who will be a free agent again after a very productive year for the Los Angeles Angels.

Holliday (.394) and Bay (.384) had virtually identical on-base percentages in 2009, but they got there in very different ways. Holliday hit almost 50 points higher. The Red Sox of 2010 batted just .257 on the road, a number that ranked ninth in the American League behind teams like Cleveland, Oakland and Chicago. Unless the Sox are expecting opponents to repeatedly issue walks with the bases loaded, they need to re-sign Bay or replace him with someone who hits for a high average.

2. Beyond Bay or Holliday, add another big bat. We know what you’re thinking — why not Bay and Holliday? The reason is that there really isn’t enough room for them in the outfield, though one of them certainly could serve as the designated hitter given the decline of David Ortiz. Still, the reality is that the Red Sox will have a hard enough time signing one of those guys, let alone both. There is also the matter of getting a little too righthanded in the lineup.

At the trading deadline this year, the Sox seriously explored the possibility of acquiring slugging Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, a career .281 hitter. A lefthanded batter, Gonzalez hits to all fields (with power) and would almost certainly gain a bump in batting average by playing at Fenway Park. If the Sox can pry Gonzalez away from San Diego by trading some pitching (Clay Buchholz) and some of their lower-level prospects, they should do it. That could give them a middle of the lineup that includes Victor Martinez, Kevin Youkilis, Gonzalez, Bay, J.D. Drew, and even Mike Lowell.

3. Upgrade at shortstop. As we’ve learned through the years, this is easier said than done. These days, finding a shortstop who can produce offensively is almost as hard as finding a catcher who can do the same. But given the nature of the Red Sox lineup now, the club really can no longer afford to carry a shortstop who provides them with below-average offence. The best way for them to thicken out their lineup is to find a shortstop who can get them in the top five in OPS at the position.

As terrific as Alex Gonzalez was for the Sox this year, he is almost exclusively a defensive player. While re-signing him is not entirely out of the realm of possibility, the Sox need to explore every possible avenue for a shortstop who can give them something offensively, even if they sacrifice some defense. Maybe that means bidding on a free agent like Toronto’s Marco Scutaro. Maybe it means inquiring about Milwaukee’s J.J. Hardy.

With regard to Hanley Ramirez, we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: the chances of acquiring him are virtually non-existent. Still, there was some indication this year that the Marlins grew at least a little tired of Ramirez’s immature behavior, which means the topic (as always) is at least worth revisiting.

4. Explore the idea of trading Jonathan Papelbon. This has nothing to do with Game 3 of the AL Division Series. Papelbon is still one of the elite closers in the game and has played a huge role in the team’s success since becoming a closer. At the same time, assuming the Sox have little interest in re-signing Papelbon once he is a free agent following the 2011 season, he is, perhaps, one of their more valuable and expendable bargaining chips.

In 2009, the obvious strength of the Boston team was pitching, particularly in the bullpen. Daniel Bard looks like a closer in the making and Hideki Okajima, Ramon Ramirez and Manny Delcarmen, among others, are under team control. The Sox even hold an option on Takashi Saito for roughly $6 million, which the club almost certainly will decline — unless there is a reason to keep him.

This year’s free agent class includes, among others, Octavio Dotel, Mike Gonzalez, Rafael Soriano, Fernando Rodney, and Jose Valverde, among others. All have at least some experience closing. If the Sox could sign another setup man/closer for relatively short dollars and get something of value for Papelbon — even prospects that could replenish the Boston system or be flipped in a deal — it might make sense for them to do so.

5. Sign another starting pitcher, assuming the price is right. At the moment, Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Buchholz, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield (option) are all under team control. The problem is that the Red Sox don’t have a lot of depth behind them with regard to 2010, at least based on what we saw this year. Michael Bowden can’t be counted on yet. Everyone else is at least a year away. The Sox need some starting pitching depth and this might be a good market to find it.

Remember: Unless the Red Sox re-sign him, Beckett will be a free agent following the 2010 campaign. Wakefield will be a year older. The pitching market of 2010 could be deep — Brandon Webb, Cliff Lee, Tim Hudson and others, including Beckett, could be available — and the Red Sox will have money to spend then. In the interim, the Sox might be able to strike gold with someone like Justin Duchscherer or Erik Bedard, depending on the value of the contract. Given some of the issues with those pitchers, the Sox might be able to lock one of them on a one-year deal.

If this sounds a lot like last year’s plan, it is. Certainly, the Sox would be wise to explore a deal for someone like Seattle ace Felix Hernandez, but their prospects would be put to better use for offense given the shortage of hitters in the Boston organization. A stopgap at the end of the rotation would serve the Sox well for 2010 and leave them with ample money to spend following next season, when the contracts of Beckett, Ortiz and Mike Lowell will all expire.

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Oct 11

Papelbon can’t close door, Sox lose
Sox’s closer allows three in ninth as Angels win ALDS

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BOSTON — The Red Sox were one strike away from a win that would have prolonged their season another day. But the Angels wouldn’t stand for it, coming up with three runs in the top of the ninth en route to a 7-6 victory that swept Boston out of the American League Division Series.

The victim of the jarring rally was closer Jonathan Papelbon, who entered Sunday never having allowed a run over 26 postseason innings. The Angels started their improbable rally with two outs and nobody on in the ninth. Erick Aybar laced a single up the middle. Chone Figgins worked a walk. Bobby Abreu brought the Angels within one on a double to left. The Red Sox walked Torii Hunter intentionally to load the bases for Vladimir Guerrero, and the star slugger delivered with a two-run single that gave the Angels their first lead of the day, silencing the Fenway faithful.

With some pep back in their offense, the Red Sox rode a two-run double by Dustin Pedroia and a two-run homer by J.D. Drew to a 5-1 lead through four innings against Angels starter Scott Kazmir.

Clay Buchholz performed well for Boston, allowing two runs over five-plus innings. The Angels got one back in the sixth, and two in the eighth to make it 5-4.

But Mike Lowell gave the Red Sox breathing room with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth. As it turns out, it wasn’t enough breathing room.

The Red Sox entered the day 13-3 in potential elimination games under manager Terry Francona, and seemed primed to give themselves life again and force Game 4 on Monday night.

This time, however, it didn’t happen.

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Oct 11

Shane Geraghty steers Northampton to historic win – Northampton Saints 31 Munster 27

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MIDLAND monsters. This was one of the greatest games even the Heineken Cup has seen. It was the best I have ever seen from a Northampton team and iwas a match of such extraordinary pace, quality, tension and drama that it illuminated the autumn.

Munster had to come back from 28-14 down after a Northampton team inspired by Shane Geraghty as an electric controller and Courtney Lawes as a driven and talented forward threatened to annihilate them. Typically, Munster’s recovery was devastating. They were hammering away in the agonising closing stages underneath the Northampton posts, but any other result here than a Northampton victory would have been a travesty.

Geraghty, who scored 21 points, looked about five divisions improved from the player who first appeared for England two years ago. He was masterly at fly-half, conjured a glorious try in the third quarter and could even threaten what is reckoned to be the procession of Jonny Wilkinson back into the England team at fly-half. Lawes was only one of a mighty Northampton pack, but his lanky dexterity and athleticism made an indelible impression.

Munster’s back division comprised mostly bangers, and Lifeimi Mafi looked out of his depth. So, oddly, did Jean de Villiers, the great Springbok. Yet Munster have begun badly before. The incredible news that Perpignan, the French champions, had gone down in Treviso in the other match in this pool means that anyone writing Munster off may well regret it.

Northampton and Geraghty varied the play cleverly, and the early tactic to hoist the ball above a faltering Munster back three worked well. On one occasion, Keith Earls missed the ball and from one error, Geraghty gave Northampton the lead. Soon afterwards, he helped extend it. Northampton put together a pedigree move with Geraghty holding the baton and the rhinoceros that is Soane Tonga’uiha charging. Geraghty had handled three times before he switched play with a high kick to the right wing, both full-backs missed it and Chris Ashton scored.

Munster came back so well that towards half-time they led 14-11, courtesy of a drop goal by Paul Warwick and an equally well struck penalty from enormous range by Ronan O’Gara. They then scored when they stretched Northampton with a sustained side-to-side move and David Wallace chased a kick ahead by Earls to score.

Northampton were undeterred. Lawes almost obliterated Denis Leamy in pursuit of a Northampton restart and Munster conceded a penalty with which Geraghty levelled. Then, as Northampton attacked in waves near half-time, they were awarded a penalty. Munster half turned away, Geraghty took a quick tap and scuttled over triumphantly to make it 21-14 at the interval.

Northampton then put together another sweeping move, with Lawes and Tonga’uiha driving, and with Northampton’s accomplished centres and Ben Foden injecting pace. When the ball came back one final time, Mafi rushed up way out of line, Geraghty went scorching through the gap and Ashton appeared on his shoulder for his second try.

Northampton came on but were denied another try when the referee failed to penalise Mafi for killing two rucks. Gradually, Munster edged back, proud and indomitable. O’Gara made it tense with two penalties as the Munster driving maul finally found its power, launching Thomas O’Leary over for the try which made it 28-27. But Geraghty kicked a final penalty and somehow, Northampton managed a turnover in the depths of a ruck under their own posts, probably a case of the biter bit, and the final whistle blew.

Northampton move on to Perpignan next weekend. There is no escape in this competition. But there is sporting spectacle and glory, and one of the world’s great rugby towns was no doubt celebrating their team’s glory into the night.

Star man: Shane Geraghty (Northampton)

Scorers: Northampton: Tries: Ashton 17, 45, Geraghty 40 Cons: Geraghty (2) Pens: Geraghty (4)

Munster: Tries: Wallace 25, O’Leary 67 Cons: O’Gara Pens: O’Gara (4) DG: Warwick

Referee: C Berdos (France)

Northampton: B Foden, C Ashton, J Clarke, J Downey, B Reihana, S Geraghty, L Dickson (A Dickens 70min); S Tonga’uiha, D Hartley, S Gonzalez Bonorino (B Mujati 58min), C Lawes (I Fernandez Lobbe 67min), J Kruger, P Dowson, N Best, R Wilson

Munster: P Warwick, D Howlett, L Mafi (I Dowling 61min), J de Villiers, K Earls, R O’Gara, T O’Leary; M Horan, J Flannery, T Buckley (T Brugnaut 68min), D O’Callaghan, P O’Connell, A Quinlan (D Ryan 65min), D Wallace, D Leamy

Oct 10

Northampton’s Dylan Hartley seeks mental edge over Munster in Heineken Cup

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Dylan Hartley just about managed to keep a straight face when asked about the prospect of playing against the formidable Munster front five, including Lions captain Paul O’Connell, in their Heineken Cup opener at Franklin’s Gardens.

“Don’t know who they are,” he said with a smile. It seems the 23-year-old England hooker is not afraid to indulge in mind games in his first season as captain of Northampton.

Munster are no strangers to such tactics themselves, but O’Connell may take extra notice of Hartley’s nomination of the leader he has drawn most inspiration from – the man who helped plot the Lions’ downfall, Springboks captain John Smit.

“I like the way John Smit plays and controls the game,” Hartley said. “He is someone I like to watch. He impressed me during the Lions series and in the Tri-Nations.

“I like the way he talks to the referees and the way he plays the game. He has moved to tighthead prop but still gets involved in the game and is still playing good rugby. It is not easy to go from hooker to tighthead.”

Having Northampton’s former captain, Bruce Reihana, in the side is a big help to Hartley, who plays down his own influence as leader of a side who will hope to reproduce their impressive form in the Guinness Premiership during their European campaign.

“Just because I am the captain doesn’t mean he sits in the corner and doesn’t say anything,” said Hartley, who makes up a new-look front row with props Santiago Bonorino and Soane Tonga’uiha. “When you look at Bruce, he is the ultimate professional and young players look at him as a role model.”

Hartley will lead a much-changed pack, with former Ulster flanker Neil Best no doubt relishing the contest against the Irish province as he returns to the back row in place of Mark Easter, while Courtney Lawes starts at lock.

Hartley will go head-to-head with Jerry Flannery, who starts his first game since recovering from the elbow injury that ruled him out of the Lions tour. O’Connell and David Wallace also return after Munster’s surprise 30-0 defeat by Leinster last weekend.

“We could turn up against Munster and get a hiding; we could turn up as underdogs and the unknown and win,” Hartley added.

Back to those mind games.

Oct 10

Beckett comes unraveled in seventh

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ANAHEIM – Having the ball taken from his hand in the middle of an inning in the playoffs is not something Josh Beckett is used to.

It happened on Friday night at Angel Stadium, because the hard-throwing right-hander was unable to close out the seventh inning.

After surrendering a two-out RBI single to Maicer Izturis and a two-run triple to Erick Aybar, Beckett was replaced with his team trailing by three runs.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona relieved his big-game right-hander with lefty Billy Wagner, who stranded Aybar at third by striking out Chone Figgins.

Yet the damage was done as the Angels claimed a 4-1 victory to grab a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-five American League Division Series.

“This one is mine,” Beckett said, accepting responsibility for the loss. “It stinks. If I make one of those two pitches, maybe they don’t have to score three runs. They score one.”

In command through six innings, Beckett and Angels right-hander Jered Weaver were locked in a 1-1 tie.

Momentum shifted in the seventh, as Beckett lost command of his offspeed pitches.

“I made a terrible pitch to Izturis. I made a terrible pitch to Aybar,” Beckett said. “When you have poor location, you get your butt kicked.”

Once the damage was done, Francona went to the bullpen.

“Tito has to manage the game,” Beckett said.

Already established as one of the top big-game pitchers of his era, Beckett saw his playoff record fall to 7-3. The last time he lost in the postseason was in Game 3 of the 2003 World Series, when he was with the Marlins.

Since that game against the Yankees, Beckett was 6-0 with a 3.04 ERA in eight postseason starts.

Entering the seventh inning on Friday, Beckett hadn’t walked a batter, and the right-hander was economical with his pitches – compiling a total of 75.

With Vladimir Guerrero leading off the seventh inning, Beckett went after the slugger with a dose of breaking balls.

Beckett started the sequence with three consecutive offspeed pitches, with none finding the strike zone. After taking a fastball for a strike, Guerrero drew the only walk the Boston starter allowed on the night.

“It’s Vlady up there. My approach hasn’t changed much in the last six or seven years facing him,” Beckett said. “I’m definitely trying not to leave a breaking ball up over the plate there.”

Beckett also fell behind 3-0 in the count to Kendry Morales, who eventually lifted a fly ball to left field for the first out. On a night Beckett was throwing strikes, signs of trouble came when he faced successive 3-0 counts to open the inning.

“I would never take him out after a 3-0 count,” Francona said. “He’s thrown a three- or four-hitter going into that inning. No, I didn’t think he was tired. I thought he was fine.”

Howard Kendrick pinch-ran for Guerrero, and with one out he stole second. Mike Lowell at third base made a nice stop on Juan Rivera’s hard ground ball to third for the second out.

Despite having a runner on second base, Beckett was in position to close out the inning with the score knotted at 1. But Izturis singled to center on a breaking ball that was up.

The frustrations of the inning mounted when Mike Napoli was hit by a 2-1 breaking ball. The ball plunked Napoli on the back. Immediately, Beckett contended to home-plate umpire CB Bucknor that Napoli didn’t make an attempt to get out of the way. Francona came out of the dugout to make a similar case.

During the exchange, Beckett was upset that Bucknor wouldn’t listen to his plea.

“I wasn’t much ticked off that he wouldn’t overturn the pitches, but show me a little bit of respect,” Beckett said. “He just straight-faced me and then walked away. I went up to [catcher] Victor Martinez. I said, ‘Vic, he’d be ticked if I did that to him.’ I’m not asking him to even overturn it, just listen to what I have to say. Don’t like, take your mask off, straight-face me and then walk away. I can’t say anything to the point of getting thrown out.”

Beckett added the hit by pitch didn’t carry over to his approach to Aybar, who padded the Angels’ lead with his two-run triple.

But after that triple, Beckett’s night was over after 103 pitches.

Now down two games, the Red Sox are in need of three consecutive victories to advance. If a fifth game is forced, Beckett would be back on the mound.

“I thought he pitched pretty good,” Red Sox shortstop Alex Gonzalez said. “He was very good tonight, but he had that bad inning. It’s a five-game series, maybe he can come back here and have another chance.”

Oct 10

Sox offence lacks ‘extra’ spark vs. Halos

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ANAHEIM — John Lackey on Thursday night wasn’t in much of a giving mood.

Even when the Red Sox had some opportunities against the Angels’ right-hander, they weren’t able to capitalise.

Behind Lackey’s 7 1/3 shutout innings, the Angels blanked the Red Sox, 5-0, to claim Game 1 of the American League Division Series.

Darren Oliver chipped in with 1 2/3 innings of hitless ball, and the Angels handed the Red Sox their first shutout in the postseason since facing the Indians in Game 2 of the 1995 ALDS.

“Everyone has been here before,” Dustin Pedroia said. “We lost the first game. You don’t win one and the series is over. That’s not how it goes. We’ll come out tomorrow, and we need to play a lot better than we did today.”

Lackey surrendered just four singles, frustrating a Boston offence that was shut out seven times during the regular season.

“He had a lot of life on his fastball,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said of Lackey. “He was able to locate his fastball with two different directions. He was good. He was real good.”

The Red Sox’s first five hitters were 1-for-18, collecting only a Pedroia single in the sixth inning.

“We’ve got to have better at-bats,” Pedroia said. “I felt like early in the game, we were kind of a little bit rusty. We had three days off. You could tell [our] timing was a little bit off. You could tell later in the game we had better at-bats. Hopefully we’ll come out tomorrow and swing the bats better and have a better result.”

The best-of-five series resumes on Friday at Anaheim Stadium.

“We’ve been down before, and guys know how to respond,” leadoff hitter Jacoby Ellsbury said. “Obviously, we would have liked to win this one. They played well tonight. Hopefully we can get them tomorrow.”

Lackey retired the first eight Red Sox batters he faced before Alex Gonzalez singled with two outs in the third inning. Ellsbury followed with a disputed play. He tapped back to the mound for what appeared to be the third out. Thinking the inning was over, the TBS crew went to a commercial break. However, Ellsbury was awarded first base due to catchers’ interference on Jeff Mathis.

However, the potential threat ended when Pedroia lifted a fly ball to right field that was hauled in by Bobby Abreu.

“Lackey went out there and he pitched tremendous,” Ellsbury said. “We don’t take anything for granted. It’s going to be a hard fought series. Hopefully we can come out tomorrow and get that win.”

The third inning was just one of two where the Red Sox had two baserunners.

In the sixth inning, Pedroia singled and Victor Martinez walked with two outs. But Kevin Youkilis was retired on a ground ball.

The Red Sox did have their share of deep counts. Even in the first inning, when they were retired in order, they induced 21 pitches out of Lackey, who exited after throwing 114.

“I thought he did a tremendous job when he needed that big pitch,” Ellsbury said. “Guys were battling. When he needed that big pitch, he made it. He really didn’t give us too much to hit. Hats off to him.”

Jason Bay led off the fifth inning with a single, and it was the only time all night the Red Sox’s leadoff man reached. However, Mike Lowell bounced into a 6-4-3 double play, and Lackey was out of a potential jam.

No Red Sox runner advanced beyond second base.

The way Lackey was in command had Bay saying it wasn’t so much a night of missed chances as much as an opposing starter limiting opportunities.

“We are a pretty good offensive team,” Bay said. “Lackey shut us down with four singles. Four singles and three errors [in the field] isn’t going win too many ballgames. You tip your hat a little bit. I think we can be better.

“He commanded the strike zone. We ran his pitch count up a little bit early, but after that he settled down a little bit. We really didn’t get much. It wasn’t like a game of missed opportunities. We didn’t have many. It was one of those cases where he was better than we were tonight.”

Oct 08

Angels have to run against the Red Sox to have a chance

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The Boston Red Sox are quite familiar opponents for the Los Angeles Angels in the American League Division Series. However, all those previous matchups resulted in Red Sox series wins.

The key for the Red Sox this time is pitching. Jon Lester, who opens the series, has to keep guys off base, especially the guys who can run. Jacoby Ellsbury will be a key factor against Angels starter John Lackey. If Ellsbury gets on base, he’s going to steal. He will need to use his legs to create runs. Even though Lackey struggles against Boston, he has done some pretty good things in the postseason, including when he stepped up in 2002 and the Angels won the World Series.

Another important point the Red Sox must consider is to allow Lester to go deep in the game. That way, manager Terry Francona can mix and match his bullpen.

The key for the Angels is to focus on running. They have to get guys on base, from Chone Figgins to Erick Aybar to Bobby Abreu to Torii Hunter. They will have to make offence by taking the double play away from Lester, thus making him more concerned about the runners than he is about the hitter.

Keep in mind that Boston’s pitchers don’t keep runners close. They are very easy to run on. If you look at how the Angels played this year, that’s how they won a lot of games. They showed a lot more patience at the plate. Overall, their on-base percentage is higher than it’s ever been, but they ran, and that’s what they will have to do to beat Boston. If the Angels try to sit back and outscore Boston, they will fail because the Red Sox just have too much firepower in the middle of their lineup. The Angels will have to run and run and run. If they make it a track meet, they will beat the Red Sox.

Lackey and Josh Beckett are capable of demoralising a team, and it’s unclear whether the Angels have that shutdown pitcher to counter it.

If Victor Martinez or Jason Varitek can handle those baserunners, it’s over. In other words, if the Red Sox can beat the Angels with one of their weaknesses, there’s nothing Los Angeles can do.

The first game is in Anaheim, but that won’t make a difference. The Angels have yet to prove they can beat the Red Sox. If Boston jumps out early, for example, let’s say Ellsbury leads off with a hit, steals a base and scores a run – don’t be surprised if some of the L.A. players look at each other and say, “Oh no, here they come.”

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Oct 08

Goodbye and thanks, Steve

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Stephen Harmison’s international future appears to be over after the England selectors left him out of the squad for the tour of South Africa.

The Durham fast bowler, a poor traveller by his own admission, was not given a central contract by the ECB in August and this latest announcement only serves to underline the desire of Andy Flower, the team director, and Andrew Strauss, the England captain, to move on.

Liam Plunkett, Harmison’s county team-mate, will bolster England’s pace bowling attack of James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Graham Onions and Ryan Sidebottom.

“Stephen Harmison has not been included in the Test squad because we feel his form has not been consistent enough over the past 12 months to justify a regular place in the side and we want to give an opportunity to other players to make a case for selection,” Geoff Miller, the national selector said.

It is thought that Harmison was considering quitting international cricket this summer, until an encouraging performance in the Ashes-winning final Test at the Oval cast a slightly different light on his options.

Luke Wright, the fast-bowling all-rounder who scored 48 in England’s Champions Trophy semi-final defeat to Australia, is the one surprise inclusion in the 16-man Test squad that includes three new caps.

The other two players included for the first time are Steven Davies, the Surrey wicketkeeper, who is preferred to Geraint Jones and Adil Rashid, the 21-year-old Yorkshire leg spinner who impressed last season with bat and ball, and gets his chance ahead of Monty Panesar.

Kevin Pietersen returns as he steps up his recovery from surgery on his Achilles tendon for the 2½-month tour which will include two Twenty20 internationals, five one-day internationals and four Test matches.

Plunkett, who helped Durham win the county championship, gets the nod ahead of Sajid Mahmood and the selectors have also included Jonathan Trott, who made a century on his Test debut in England’s victory over Australia at the Brit Oval this summer.

Ravi Bopara, the Essex batsman, is overlooked after his poor Ashes series.

“We are delighted to welcome Steven Davies and Luke Wright into the Test squad for the first time. Steven is a player of great potential who has been a consistent performer for his county and he will act as understudy to Matt Prior in South Africa.

“The retirement of Andrew Flintoff has created a vacancy for an all-rounder in the squad and while we do not see Luke Wright as a like-for-like replacement for Andrew, we are excited by the way in which his all-round game continues to develop and believe he can make an impact at Test level.

“Kevin Pietersen is making good progress with his recovery from surgery on his injured achilles. He will join up with the rest of the squad in South Africa following the first two T20 Internationals and his fitness will be reassessed ahead of the one day series.”

Test squad
Andrew Strauss (Middlesex) captain
Alastair Cook (Essex) vice captain
James Anderson (Lancashire)
Ian Bell (Warwickshire)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Paul Collingwood (Durham)
Steven Davies (Surrey)
Graham Onions (Durham)
Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire)
Liam Plunkett (Durham)
Matt Prior (Sussex)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire)
Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire)
Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire)
Luke Wright (Sussex)

One Day squad:
Andrew Strauss (Middlesex) captain,
James Anderson (Lancashire),
Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire),
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire),
Paul Collingwood (Durham),
Alastair Cook (Essex),
Joe Denly (Kent),
Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire),
Eoin Morgan (Middlesex),
Graham Onions (Durham),
Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire),
Matt Prior (Sussex),
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire),
Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire),
Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire),
Luke Wright (Sussex)

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