Boston Red Sox Prepared for Arms Race

Posted on September 01, 2009 by Mike Brangwynne

The addition of Billy Wagner and Paul Byrd give the Red Sox fresh arms for the September push.

I hate to sound like a parent mentoring his kid with “don’t run with scissors” but when it comes to baseball (especially the playoffs) I am a firm believer in “pitching wins championships.”

Apparently the Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein believes the same theory as he has been unloading pitchers not performing up to par (Brad Penny and John Smoltz) while getting some pitchers he hopes have fresh strong arms (Billy Wagner and Paul Byrd).

The news of acquiring Billy Wagner was very exciting Sox fans as he has great numbers out of the pen and is currently third on the “current players saves list” behind Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman.

Paul Byrd was not as sure of a bet; until he took the mound for the first time this past weekend. Byrd looked as if he smelled the chance at a playoff run as he mowed down the Blue Jays for six scoreless innings.

With a fairly easy September schedule the Red Sox are looking like they will be smiling when October comes.

With series against the White Sox, Orioles, Angels, Orioles (again), Royals and Blue Jays this month the Red Sox are primed to make a run at the Yankees.

The Yankees are due to cool off a bit but their September schedule looks just as easy making the key series for both teams in September their last series against each other as well as the series against AL East rivals Tampa Bay Rays. These series combined the Red Sox need to do a lot more winning then the Yankees do if they want to catch up and win the division.

It will be a good September for the Red Sox if J.D. Drew and the other hitters can maintain their recent hot hitting.

The Red Sox bats are alive as of late so if this keeps up they will have a great chance.

JD Drew, David Ortiz, Jason Bay and Mike Lowell have been swinging the hot bat lately which was missed a lot by the team last month.

Another acquisition the Sox had made, which is paying off very highly, is the multitalented and reliable bat of Victor Martinez.

With a great combination of pitching and hitting the Red Sox are looking to storm into the playoffs big time.

It will be up to them as Tampa Bay is looking to make a run at the Wild Card as the Rangers appear that they will start to fade due to a lack of pitching. The long September journey will start tonight as the Red Sox begin a crucial series at Tampa Bay.

Mike Brangwynne is a regular contributor to Boston Sports Then and Now. You can read more of his work at The Sports Blog of Boston and FanRates.com

Tags: Billy Wagner, Boston Red Sox, Paul Byrd
Category Baseball, Boston Red Sox
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BST&N Looks Back....

Vintage Athlete Of The Month: Andy Brickley
April 21, 2012 | 11:06 am

Andy Brickley

Andy Brickley’s voice is familiar throughout New England and to those of us out-of-market fans who get the NESN broadcasts via the NHL’s Center Ice package. Brickley is the top TV analyst for Boston Bruins’ hockey games. Most fans know he was a part of Boston’s 1989-90 teams that reached the Stanley Cup Finals. What many fans may not know is how hard Brickley has had to work for everything in his career. To pay tribute to his effort and to acknowledge his tremendous contributions to the culture of Boston Bruins hockey is why he is BST&N’s Vintage Athlete Of The Month for April.

The need to prove himself to skeptics started right away in college. Brickley went to school at New Hampshire, but had to walk on the hockey team. He made the squad and played all four years, from 1979-82. By the end of his career he had made first-team All-American and led New Hampshire to the Frozen Four in his senior year.

Two years into his college career he was selected in the NHL Entry Draft, but by the skin of his teeth—Brickley was the final player chosen in a 210-player draft, going to the Philadelphia Flyers. He began his pro career there in the fall of 1982, but a year later he was traded to Pittsburgh, as part of a package involving multiple players and draft picks.

By rights, this should have been the point when his career took off. He scored 18 goals in 50 games, the highest goal output of his career and also had 12 assists. But he ended up demoted to the minor leagues for the egregious sin of breaking curfew. To put the early 1980s in perspective, this was a time when frequent reports of players’ cocaine addictions were becoming public—in all sports. Seen in that light, the idea of demoting Brickley because he broke curfew seems absurd beyond belief.

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