Empyreal Environs

Game 162: October 4, 2009
Indians	7	L: Tomo Ohka (1-5)	65-97, 5 game losing streak
Red Sox	12	W: Michael Bowden (1-1)	95-67, 4 game winning streak
Highlights: Bowden, he of the bizarre delivery, attained his first major league win in 2009 in the last game of the regular season. He entered the game after Ramon Ramirez took over following Clay Buchholz’s disastrous five-run third inning. Boston countered with five runs in the sixth inning: Jed Lowrie lofted his first grand slam in the majors and J.D. Drew launched his second homer of the game. In his six seasons as Red Sox field manager Terry Francona has a record of 95 wins or better five times.

“What a long, strange trip it’s been.” This line from the Grateful Dead song “Truckin’” is overused by a portly ESPN anchor, but it is an appropriate sentiment for 2009.

January

• 8th: Rocco Baldelli inked $500,000 one-year contract. He wears 5, the first player to do so since Nomar Garciaparra.
• 9th: Brady Penny deal ($5M for one year with $3M in incentives) officially announced.
  Mark Kotsay re-signed to a one-year $1.5M contract.
• 10th: Takashi Saito signed for $1.5M with performance and roster bonuses.
• 12th: Jim Rice voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his final year of eligibility.
• 13th: John Smoltz and Red Sox reach agreement for a one-year deal.
• 16th: Kevin Youkilis inked a four-year, $41.25M contract.
• 20th: Jonathan Papelbon and Javier Lopez signed one-year deals to avoid arbitration.
• 22nd: 100-year old Bill Werber, the oldest living major leaguer, passed away. He was a teammate and opponent of Babe Ruth. Disgusted by the likes of Johnny Damon he didn’t watch baseball in recent years. “They’re a grubby-looking bunch of caterwaulers,” he said.
• 30th: Jason Varitek signed a one-year, $5M deal with 2010 mutual option.

February

• 8th: Nineteen non-roster invitees announced. Of these players, Daniel Bard, Nick Green, and Josh Reddick end up making significant contributions to the Red Sox.
• 16th: David Ortiz endorsed year-long ban for players testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

March

• 1st: Jason Bay, Javier Lopez, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, and David Ortiz depart Spring Training for the World Baseball Classic.
• 15th: Jon Lester’s five-year, $30M extension announced as official.
  Red Sox terminate negotiations with Jason Bay regarding a contract extension.
  Pedroia removed from Team USA roster due to abdominal strain.
• 18th: Youkilis exited World Baseball Classic due to Achilles tendinitis.
  Josh Bard released.
• 19th: George Kottaras tapped as Tim Wakefield’s catcher.
• 23rd: Curt Schilling announced retirement from baseball.
• 24th: Daisuke Matsuzaka named World Baseball Classic Most Valuable Player for the second time. He has garnered this honor in both tournaments played.

April

• 5th: Final 25 man roster announced. Four players would not remain with the big league club: Javier Lopez and Chris Carter would eventually be designated for assignment, Brad Penny released, and Justin Masterson was traded.
• 6th: Opening Day at Fenway postponed for a day due to rain.
• 7th: Ted Kennedy throws the first pitch to Jim Rice.
• 12th: Josh Beckett pitched high and tight to Bobby Abreu. Benches cleared and umpires ejected Angels players Torii Hunter and Justin Speier and Anaheim coaches Mike Scioscia and Mickey Hatcher. Beckett was punished by a six-game suspension. He appealed the suspension and had it shortened to five days.
  Jed Lowrie placed on 15-day disabled list with a left wrist sprain and Gil Velazquez is called up to replace him.
• 15th: Matsuzaka placed on 15-day disabled list due to arm fatigue.
  Wakefield came within five outs of a no-hitter against the Athletics.
• 17th: Elijah “Pumpsie” Green, the first African-American on the Boston Red Sox, threw out first pitch.
• 21st: Lowrie undergoes wrist surgery.
  A strained left hamstring put Baldelli on the 15-day disabled list.
• 23rd: Kason Gabbard returned to Red Sox from the Rangers for cash considerations.
• 24th: Jonathan Van Every called up to back up the outfield.
• 26th: Red Sox complete three-game series sweep of the Yankees at Fenway.
• 30th: Van Every makes his major league pitching debut: two-third of an inning pitched, 1 hit, no earned runs, 1 walk, no strikeouts.

May

• 5th: Red Sox complete two-game sweep of Yankees in the Bronx.
• 6th: Jerry Remy takes leave of absence to recover from lung cancer.
• 7th: Boston score 12 runs without an out against Cleveland, setting an American League record and tying the National League mark.
• 8th: Dom DiMaggio passes away at age 92.
• 12th: Youkilis placed on 15-day disabled list retroactively to May 5 with an oblique strain.
• 13th: Daniel Bard makes major league debut against the Angels: two innings pitched, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout.
• 21st: Jacoby Ellsbury ties major league single-game putout record with 12; the final putout was the last out of the game.
• 23rd: First use of umpire review at Fenway confirms Mets catcher Omir Santos’s home run.
• 27th: Boston tied modern-day record of six wild pitches in a single game in a loss to the Twins. Matsuzaka had four; Manny Delcarmen and Masterson had one apiece.
• 28th: Terry Francona attended to by emergency medical personnel after being ejected in the seventh inning in a game at the Metrodome. The 50-year old did not require any further treatment.

June through October to follow.