BOS 6, CLE 2: Sox Take Two from Cleveland

“Effective” isn’t a term often used to describe Daisuke Matsuzaka’s outings, but that’s exactly what he looked like in last night’s start, as the Red Sox took a second win off of the Cleveland Indians, 6-2.

Fireside Chats #61: Where we are the champions….errr…wild card my friends

[podcast]http://360thepitch.com/firebrand/61_10_1_09_firesidechats.mp3[/podcast]

Paul and I catch up after a week off with the end of the regular season looming. The Red Sox have clinched and instead of painfully breaking down the teams' miserable performance in these "exhibition games", we look forward with initial thoughts to another match up with the Anaheim...Los Angeles Angels in the ALDS. All after, of course, a little prayer for Jon Lester and Josh Beckett's health.

All that and more on Episode #60 of Fireside Chats on MVN!

BOS 9, LAA 8: A-Gonz and Done It Again

It's not everyday that Red Sox fans get to see Alex Gonzalez at the bottom of a walk-off pig-pile. It's even more rare to see him take a walk. But last night, he did both, leading the Red Sox past the Los Angeles Angels, 9-8.

Both Paul Byrd and Angels' starter Joe Saunders pitched some uninspired baseball, but it was the quick feet and quick thinking of the Red Sox that brought home the seventh win in eight days for Boston.

Fireside Chats #60: Where we count chickens before they hatch all episode long and love it

The playoffs are right around the corner aren't they? Cause if they aren't then we might be a little bit ahead of ourselves. At least were not too conceded to think we still have a chance to catch the Yankees, even if my Daisuke-fueled bravado may have called the Red Sox the favorites to win the World Series. Ok...maybe we did include a "glimmer" of hope at the division still.

We talk rotation, Daisuke's return, Buchholz' emergence, the confidence in the offense and do some advanced scouting of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

All that and more on Episode #60 of Fireside Chats on MVN!

BOS 4, LAA 1: Dice is Nice

In his first game back since June 19, Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched a surprisingly decent an unagitating outing, as the Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of California of the United States of North America, 4-1. The multi-million dollar man notched over six shutout innings, giving up only three hits. Unfortunately, he walked just as many batters, but the five strikeouts on 93 pitches were certainly a step in the right direction.

Fireside Chats #59: Where we write off the Rays, the hopes of the division, and Jonathan Papelbon’s long term future in Boston

The Red Sox got the two out of three wins in Tampa that we talked about last episode, and proceeded to meet doom in Chicago at the hands of "the Revenge of Kotsay". Net/net, the Rangers are still in the wild card hunt and aren't going anywhere. Paul and I break down the Red Sox castoffs and in season additions and give Theo and team a positive in season grade with this team built for the post-season (should they get there). All that just primes us for the big finish, where Paul nearly convinces me that trading Jonathan Papelbon in the offseason is the right thing for the franchise in a "Seymour-esque" way.

All that and more on Episode #59 of Fireside Chats on MVN!

Fireside Chats #58: Where we prepare for a statement series in Tampa Bay

The Red Sox have put a nice run together and now stare down a series that we all circled as an important one back in April. They have the rare opportunity in sports to go for the kill. The question before us however, is do they have the killer instinct?

All that and more on Episode #57 of Fireside Chats on MVN!

Fireside Chats #57: Where we dip into the Mad Dog for a little relief

Sorry for the lack of shows recently, a vacation followed by a week with a fever eerily similar to Jason Varitek's batting average knocked me out of commission. But we are back and ready for the stretch run! We talk playoff chances, hurdles in the Red Sox way of making it there, key players that need to step up on the way home and more. And we welcome, for the first time, a very special guest long known for his ability to scream into a "Mike" and talk sports...."Mad Dog" (our very own version at least).

All that and more on Episode #57 of Fireside Chats on MVN!

Fireside Chats #56: Where we ride the roller coaster that is the Boston Red Sox 2009 season

I almost titled this episode "where Paul gets tossed around by Rick Porcello, but I resisted. Just when you think we're out, they win three out of four and pull you right back in, with flair no less. Let's face it. This team will be in contention to the wire. They won't pull away nor will they go away. But this week's series in Texas marks another important milestone.

This weeks' "Tweet of the Week" from our Red Sox Twitter Tracker:

from @peteabe

All that and more on Episode #56 of Fireside Chats on MVN!

Fireside Chats #55: Where Paul may or may not have been slipped a PED last night

Just another week in Red Sox Nation.  Ho, hum...David Ortiz on steroids, Red Sox dominate the trade deadline talk (again), the Rays and Yankees on the horizon.  Joe Haggerty joins us to break it all down.  How many days until Patriots kickoff?  Yeah right....

This weeks' "Tweet of the Week" from our Red Sox Twitter Tracker:

from @globechadfinn

All that and more on Episode #55 of Fireside Chats on MVN!