The big news today is the lineup! Yes, that is Justin Morneau’s name signed in there for the first A squad game in 8 months. Delmon is also coming back and it looks like his foot is doing well. Still no Cuddyer or Mauer but they are both on the practice field participating in regular workouts.
Also in the lineup today is Tsuyoshi Nishioka. I’m not sure what I would expect on a day like today when all of us are thinking about the disaster in Japan but he likely more than the rest of us. For whatever his reasons for deciding to play, our thoughts are with him, his family and his friends in Japan.
| Boston | @ | Minnesota |
| Ellsbury, CF | Span, CF | |
| Crawford, LF | Nishioka, 2B | |
| Ortiz, D, DH | Young, D, LF | |
| Youkilis, 3B | Morneau, 1B | |
| Drew, J, RF | Thome, DH | |
| Varitek, C | Valencia, 3B | |
| Spears, N, 2B | Kubel, RF | |
| Sutton, 1B | Holm, C | |
| Navarro, Y, SS | Casilla, A, SS | |
| Lester, P | Duensing, P |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| Boston | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | x | 3 | 7 | 0 |
Well that was a FUN game! I am sure that Morneau was ecstatic and I’m sure he’ll be equally annoyed with how many people are asking him how he’s feeling tonight and tomorrow. But it was a good day regardless. And we’ve tied the record for the Mayor’s Cup at 2-2 against the Red Sox now.. considering we’ve lost it for the last 4 years straight, I would like to come out on the winning end this year.
Wow, except for this Holm guy behind the plate, it’s like the lineup for a real game!
Gordo still can’t pronounce Nishi’s name – he says Nishiok-EE. But they did relate a fun story about how he asked if it was appropriate etiquette to try to disrupt the pitchers timing. Said he did it a lot in Japan but doesn’t want to make a pitcher so angry that he gets beaned… LOL
I guess they told him to do it as much as he wants but to be aware that if he really does piss off the pitcher that much, he might GET beaned…
And here’s Justin up to bat! Great ovation from the crowd.
I noticed the Niskiokee pronounce too. it made me chuckle
Just following on GameDay here. Good to see two solid line ups for a ST game.
Seriously, though, you would think this kind of game would be what the powers-that-be would choose to televise. When you have two contending teams playing a ST game in a town where they BOTH have their ST facilities, it’s much more likely that you’re going to see the visiting team show up with a decent number of their star players. Those guys usually aren’t asked to make the 1-2 hour bus trips to other locations, but when the Sawx and Twins play at either home field in Ft. Myers, a lot of big names make the quick drive across town.
no radio tomorrow…UGH
Looks like a bit of a rough 3rd inning for Duensing. Then again, he did K Crawford and Youk
Papelbon apparently not making a strong case for keeping his job with the Sawx
Also looks like Dusty Hughes is tightening his grip on one of the Twins’ bullpen spots.
All your Hughes are belong to us?