Archive for August, 2010

Preview – Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays series – MLB August 27th, 2010

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The Boston Red Sox will begin a pivotal match up this weekend with the AL East leading Tampa Bay Rays and as they cling to their playoff hopes. With the New York Yankees, the Tampa recently moved into a first place tie for the division and they continue to lead the wild card race as well. It appears the second place team from the AL East will be the AL Wild Card winner as well, as the season nears its end, making this weekend’s series even more important.

In the division, Boston trails Tampa by only 5.5 games and wild card race; however, the Boston Sox need to make a move in the standings, with time running out on the 2010 season and this weekend’s series offers a great chance to do so. Against the Rays and Yankees, the Red Sox do have two series left, so all hope is not lost on making the postseason this year. Of course a series this weekend, against the Rays will go a long way in helping those chances.

A trio of outstanding pitching match ups is offered in the 3 game weekend set. Matsuzaka vs. Price will be taking the mound Friday night at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay; Saturday will see Buchholz vs. Garza, and Sunday’s match up with showcase Lackey against Shields. ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball game of the week will be the game on Sunday.

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Nippert is recovering slowly but steadily: MLB August 11th, 2010

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On the cap Texas Rangers pitcher Dustin Nippert was wearing, the indentation of baseball seams is still visible when he took a liner to the head three weeks ago. After watching video of the play, He knows how lucky he has been.

Nippert said, “I saw like a flash of the ball when it happened, but I wanted to see what the camera got. I think God may have had a hand in it. … You see some that look like they are less than that and they don’t walk away from it, they are carried off. I think I definitely got lucky.”

For the fourth time in five days, Nippert threw long toss off flat ground any problems such as the headaches he had after being hit on the right side of his head. This weekend, he hopes to throw some pitches off a mound.

Since being struck July 19 at Detroit, the right-hander hasn’t been back on a mound, though he walked off the field that night and said he felt fine the next day.

Manager Ron Washington said, “It means a lot because he’s taken a few chances to try to come back and it didn’t work. This time he’s throwing the baseball, he’s not coming up with the headaches, so he’s getting over it. That was scary. It didn’t glance him, it hit him solid. I’m glad he’s getting back into baseball activities, just for his peace of mind, because that was scary.”

Last week after having three good days in a row with no headaches, Nippert said he finally was able to get back on a stationary bicycle. For four days to work, he did similar conditioning himself back up for throwing again, and resumed that Friday.

To rejoin the Rangers bullpen, it is unclear when he will go on a rehabilitation assignment.

Nippert said, “I feel fine physically, it’s just going to be my arm and my conditioning aspect of it now. I’m just going to have to catch up. Hopefully, it shouldn’t take that long.”

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