SZ633

BY JIM DAWSON

JULY 12, 2016

TIMIN', A TICK, A TICK, A TICK, GOOD TIMIN'...

As I listen to the Jimmy Jones song Good Timin' (1960), I marvel at what BoSox President Dave Dombrowski just did. He obtained 2B/3B/SS Aaron Hill July 7 just before Brock Holt got hurt slamming into 2^nd on a steal, Hanley Ramirez whacked two balls off the same shin, and with 3B/1B Travis Shaw already hurting (foot contusion). So Hill plays 3B Friday and plates two runs, including the game winner. “Nice”, said Midnight the Cat.

Hill was brought in because Shaw isn't hitting lefties well and the righty Hill does (.327 per boston.com's Henry McKenna), plus his swing is perfect for the Fenway wall in left.

Then the following day (July 8), Dombrowski deals for utility man veteran Michael Martinez who can play both the outfield (LF/CF/RF) and infield (2B/3B), and with Holt re-injured, may need to help the Sox in LF. They gave up cash to Cleveland for Martinez, a switch hitter (.283), this via an AP boston.com story.

And just around the time that we fans learned that Craig Kimbrel had knee discomfort (MRI – left medial meniscus tear), and Junichi Tazawa has right shoulder tenderness, Dombrowski, in the dead of night (reportedly about 12:30am Saturday), zeroes in on Arizona RHP Brad Ziegler (2-3, 2.82 ERA and 18 of 20 saves per Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com), and who can now help with closing to spell Koji Uehara who is giving up way too many home runs. Ziegler has given up just 1 homer in 36 appearances.

Dombrowski sent Greenville (A) RHP Jose Almonte and 2B/SS Luis Alejandro Basabe to Arizona for Ziegler. Luis Alejandro has a twin brother Luis Alexander Basabe on the same team. Luis Alexander was considered the better prospect at the beginning of the year (Baseball America had him at #9), but CF Luis Alexander has been surpassed in performance this year by Luis Alejandro (stats source – Chris Smith/masslive.com). Ziegler was a welcome addition. You have to give something to get something.

As for Dombrowski giving up RHP Aaron Wilkerson (who pitched well in Pawtucket)

and 2B Wendell Rijo, they needed the skills of the 34 y/o Aaron Hill. Wilkerson (27 y/o)

never threw harder than 90, and it was a question if his stuff would play in the majors. Baseball America had Wendell Rijo as the BoSox #15 prospect.

3/5 OF A MILE

As I listen to Jefferson Airplane's 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds (1967), it is painfully obvious that the Red Sox have 3/5 of a starting rotation (Price, Wright and Porcello). The Sox will trot out Eduardo Rodriguez again on Friday in the opener against the Yankees in NY. Farrell had better have the bullpen ready because if Eduardo gives up 4-5 runs early he should be out of there. That displaced kneecap has displaced his fastball and his mechanics. Rodriguez and Kimbrel were both hurt shagging fly balls. Shouldn't the team just say “Uncle” and have the pitchers just run laps for exercise?

And the Sox are letting Buchholz out of prison (the 'pen). He too has disappointed. Enough with excuses ('I only gave up 3 earned runs' was especially galling). O'Sullivan was adequate, but should be back soon. It will be interesting who Dombrowski gets and what he'll give up. Can he keep Moncada, Benintendi, Espinoza, Devers and Dubon?

BULLETS

• Congratulations to Molly Huddle who lives and trains in RI for winning the 5000M and 10,000M in Eugene, Oregon. She is headed to the Olympics.

• Mookie Betts has scored 75 runs before the break. Only Ted Williams (82 in 1946 and 76 in 1949) had more.

E-MAIL

That's
easy to me Jim....Paul Carrack!

Baily

I sent you an RIP for Chips Moman. Paul Carrack with Ace, Squeeze, and Mike and the Mechanics according to BBC Four (I googled). Not sure of Eagles title, though.

Roger Boudreau

Good 'Zine. Yes, we need the April/May Sox back or maybe the Jul/Aug/Sep version can include much better starting pitching to go with the potent offense. Though no team wants to part with a good starter.......if we could package Hannigan with a few other prospects (not named Benintendi, Moncada or Espinoza) then maybe a team (I'm talking to you Atlanta!) might consider a deal.

I'll go with Paul Carrack for this week's quiz answer - makes me think of his song How Long (with Ace) and Tempted with Squeeze (while he did the lead vocals, it was written by Tilbrook and Difford, I believe). Great voice! Just an FYI to Squeeze fans here in this country...they are on tour in the U.S. in Sep./Oct.!

Darb Noswad

THE HOT CLUB

We were talking about the great Rodney Dangerfield and his many one liners. So I mentioned to Cap't. Jack and his friends Bob and Lou that Rodney was wonderful in a dramatic role as an abusive father of Juliette Lewis in Natural Born Killers. Only Lou had seen it and agreed with me that Rodney was nasty. Say 'Hi' to Mickey and Mallory.

Jimmy Chelo was in the HC and told us he saw a guy walking with a cane, so he stopped his Chrysler Crossfire, and asked the chap if he wanted a ride. The guy looked at Jimmy's car and told him he'd pass on the ride saying, “Sorry, I'm in a hurry.”

Robby, Charlie Clancy's friend, said he bet on Houston when they played the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs many years ago (1/3/93). Houston was up at the half 28-3 and when they scored the first TD of the 2^nd half, they were up by 32 points. Final score: Buffalo 41-38 in OT. I asked Robby what the moral of the story was: “Don't bet”, he said.

Dr. John asked me “What's Irish and stays out all summer – Paddy O'Furniture”.

Showing that he has many talents, Mike Module revealed that he once worked at the Dennis Lynch Skating Rink and among his jobs, he drove the Zamboni.

LAST ISSUE'S QUIZ ANSWER

So who was the musician/songwriter and singer that has sung lead on hits for three different British bands, co-wrote a song for a member of the Eagles, and whom the BBC called “The Man with the Golden Voice”? Why Paul Carrack, of course. Carrack sang lead on Ace's How Long (which he wrote). He also sang lead on Squeeze's Tempted (a Tilbrook/Difford song) and Mike + the Mechanics' Silent Running(Mike Rutherford/BA Roberson penned). Carrack co-wrote Love Will Keep Us Alive, a big hit for Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles. My brother Brad, Baily, and Roger Boudreau had the answer.

THIS ISSUE'S QUIZ

This year is the 500^th anniversary of the death of Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch. In Bosch's triptych, The Garden of Earthy Delights, the right panel shows an horrific hell with the damned suffering startling punishment by strange demons. That right panel was used as the cover of a rock 'n' roll group's 3^rd album. Unlike Bosch's original painting, which was in color, the cover depiction was in black and white. Who was the group?