The Lenny DiNardo Blog

The Fiery 68 mph Curveball

The ProJo gives us Lenny's Tough-Guy Teammate Side:

Despite the no-decision, Boston starter Lenny DiNardo also made an impact.

As the 1-1 curveball broke into Tampa Bay Devil Rays' Carl Crawford's backside in the third inning last night, DiNardo made his point loud and clear.

His teammate, Alex Cora, was drilled in the top half of the inning, and DiNardo was only abiding by the unwritten, time-honored tradition of returning the favor. Despite his a no-decision -- his second in three starts in place of the injured David Wells (knee) -- the southpaw proved to his teammates he's a standup guy.

Of course DiNardo, like any other pitcher, denied he was throwing at Crawford.

"There's no way I was throwing at Crawford in that situation," said DiNardo. "It was a curveball that I didn't reach out on, but it's part of the game. It's part of the game and I'm going to live with it."

Because of the melee history between the clubs -- at least four brawls since 2000 -- home-plate umpire Mike Winters issued warnings, which brought Red Sox manager Terry Francona out of the dugout and pitching coach Al Nipper was irate from the top step.

"There wasn't going to be trouble," said Francona. "That was a 68 mile-per-hour curveball. We weren't mad at them, and I don't think they were mad at us. That [pitch] wouldn't have hurt me."

One Time Thru the Rotation

So, in preparation for tonight's game, I thought I'd look back at the starting pitching of our last six games (in which we are 2-4) - the ERA is calculated for that game only...
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Lenny (4/22) v. Toronto:

Boston	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
DiNardo (L, 0-1)	3.0	10	7	7	1	1	1	21.00

Clement (4/23) v. Toronto:

Boston	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Clement (W, 2-1)	5.1	7	3	2	2	4	1	3.53

Schilling (4/25) v. Cleveland:

Boston	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Schilling	6.2	9	5	5	2	8	1	7.26

Wakefield (4/26) v. Cleveland

Boston	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Wakefield (L, 1-4)	5.2	5	5	3	4	3	1	5.19

Beckett (4/27) v. Cleveland

Boston	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Beckett (L, 3-1)	3.2	6	9	8	5	6	3	22.50

Clement (4/28) v. Tamba Bay

Boston	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Clement(L, 2-2)	6.0	5	5	4	6	4	0	6.00

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COMBINED (4/22-4/28):

Boston	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Starters (1-4)	28.7	42	34	29	20	26	7	9.09

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The point of this? To show that our rotation of Aces haven't been so money this last week. A lot of walks, too many homeruns, and 5 unearned runs allowed in the last week. Not great stuff. Even though DiNardo got beat up during his last start, one look at Beckett's numbers show it was just a bad week all around.

This is a new week...and Lenny the Stopper has to come up big tonight. Apparently, Tito considered going to DiNardo last night if Clement's asthma got too bad. Didn't happen, so Lenny's keeps his start today. Mow 'em down, dude.

Next Start: Friday, April 28 v. TB

I haven't had the time (or the inclination) to pull the quotes following the game in Toronto. Will I do it before his next start? We'll see.  It appears as though folks believe that Lenny's last outing (DirtDogs: DiNardo Disaster) didn't sink his chances in the MLB...as it shouldn't. The other day when I was going to post stuff about the game, I started looking around at other less-than-impressive outings from any number of former/future Cy Young pitchers. They've all been there. A bad outing is a bad outing. Lenny's got at least one more shot...Here's what the Globe is hearing:

The Sox, at last check, still intend to start Lenny DiNardo (0-1, 7.43 ERA) Friday at Tampa Bay. If he is hit hard again, the Sox do have options at Pawtucket. Abe Alvarez is 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA. Matt Ginter, who appeared in 14 games (one start) with the Tigers last season, going 0-1 with a 6.17 ERA, is 2-1 with a 2.35 ERA for Pawtucket. Ginter, 28, is coming off eight scoreless innings in his last outing, in which he allowed just two hits and one walk. He fanned six...

DiNardo's Start: Today @1:07pm

DiNardo gets his second start -- and as noted below, his first road start -- today at 1:07p. Here's the RedSox.com 'scouting report:'

Saturday, April 22 Rogers Centre | 1:07 PM ET

Lenny DiNardo, LHP (0-0, 3.48) Red Sox (11-6)   @  Roy Halladay, RHP (1-1, 4.20) Blue Jays (8-7)

Scouting Report:

DiNardo makes his second straight start, filling in for the disabled David Wells (strained right knee). It will be DiNardo's first big league road start after making his first two at Fenway Park, last Monday and Sept. 2 of last year. DiNardo gave up a run in each of the first two innings Monday before settling down and retiring 10 of his final 11 batters faced, allowing six hits and just two runs over five innings. He threw 81 pitches, walking one and striking out one.

Halladay will rejoin the staff after skipping one turn in the rotation due to stiffness in his right forearm. The injury didn't turn out to be anything serious -- just a case of inflammation in the muscle. Halladay was able to throw without pain this week and will step in to face the Red Sox in the second game of a three-game set. Last year, the right-hander was 2-0 with a 3.68 ERA against Boston.

UPDATE: No, I will not be live-blogging this bad-boy. I'm sitting in the undergraduate library doing Trusts & Estates (and watching ESPN Gamecast).

How I'm Right & Shaughnessy is Always Wrong

Actually getting an email back from Eric Wilbur earlier today reminded me about the last time I wrote an email to a Globe sportswriter. It's not DiNardo-related, but Sox-related...and b/c this is my space, I thought I'd hash it out here.

Back in late 2001, the always-angry Dan Shaughnessy had a problem with the sale of the Boston Red Sox to those "carpetbaggers" John Henry and Tom Werner. Shaughnessy has had a problem with just about every Sox player, manager, and front office guy that I can remember.  Of his most unprofessional columns (and there are TONS), I'm reminded of the time he called Jose Offerman a "piece of junk." (May 26, 2002; BUNT NOT DOWN BUT FANS ARE POOR EXECUTION FROM OFFERMAN):

There was actually too much good news for all of us to handle. Red Sox and Celtics success on the heels of the Patriot magic carpet ride brought national attention to New England for Memorial Day weekend. Toss in some rare sunshine and Beantown was finally feeling like the true Hub of the Universe.

But then Jose Offerman couldn't get a bunt down and the Sox' world crumbled.

Let us consider for a moment the piece of junk that is Offerman. He gets paid $6.5 million per year, hits .250 with zero speed and power, can't get a bunt down in a crucial situation, then won't talk about his failure after a 3-2 loss to the Yankees.

Really, would it be that tough for Offerman to tell Red Sox fans what happened up there?

That was just a fun flashback. Anyway, here's the article that I was responding to back in 2001.

Shaughnessy Column (12/21/2001; "SOLD TOWNE TEAM HARRINGTON HAD GOLDEN CHANCE TO HIT HOME RUN FOR SOX FANS, BUT HE WHIFFS HE BLEW A GREAT CHANCE"):

"The Red Sox are a public trust. They are the heart and soul of New England. They are as important as any local institution. And last night they changed hands for the first time in 68 years.

Michigan-born, Yale grad Tom Yawkey rescued the franchise in 1933, and now we have unknown men named Henry and Werner taking charge of this most-cherished local team.

I wish I felt good about this and I hope I'm wrong. I wish I could get on the bandwagon and believe good things will come of this. Maybe John Henry and Tom Werner will be the best Boston sports owners since Walter Brown. Maybe they will build a new jewel of a ballpark in South Boston and reward us with a string of championship teams in the next decade.

But forgive me if I don't trust these guys. Any of them ever been to Durgin Park? Any of 'em know that the L Street Brownies swim in the ocean on New Year's Day? Any of them know the meaning of Curt Gowdy and "Hi, neighbor, have a 'Gansett?" Any of them know who hit Tony Conigliaro with that spitball in 1967? And that the pitch was thrown Aug. 18, a Friday night?

Shame on John Harrington. The cowardly little accountant had a chance to do something great and important here. This is the man who befriended Mrs. Yawkey all those years ago and - on that relationship alone - became CEO of the Red Sox and a Big Player in Major League Baseball. The record will show that when it came time to step up, Harrington caved to commissioner Bud Selig and the Lords of the Sport. He chose to serve the Boys in the Club rather than loyal, long-suffering, top-dollar-paying citizens of Red Sox Nation.

John Harrington and the Yawkey Trust win. You lose.

Joe O'Donnell and Steve Karp should be the new owners of the Boston Red Sox. They were the answer to every question. They have money. They have great reputations in the business community. They can get things built. They love New England. They grew up as Red Sox fans and share the blood type that flows through the veins of Red Sox Nation.

But Harrington didn't want the local guys. He was no doubt worried that O'Donnell and Karp would make him look bad. On Monday, he extended Aramark's concession deal for eight years, totally neutralizing O'Donnell's alliance with the limited partners from Aramark. This was downright dishonest. You don't make that kind of side deal when you are selling a team in an open bid.

So now we have this band of carpetbaggers, taking charge of our most cherished institution. Your Red Sox have been used as a pawn in the big league chess match between Major League Baseball and the Players Association. In the end, Bud Selig decided that putting a "team player" in Boston was more important than letting the Red Sox fall into the hands of a reputable local group.

Me: (Originally an email to Shaughnessy, ended up on the Letters to the Editor Page)

"Yes, we may have a few rich carpetbaggers coming into town to take over the Sox. However, of all the potential new owners, this is the only group that knows the value of keeping the Sox in Fenway, and to think that Commissioner-cum-stadium-builder Bud Selig actually approves a group that would rather renovate an ancient park than build a new one holds quite of bit of weight.
 
They're not simply coming in here with an eye for investment; they're buying into the tradition (rich people can do that). The Henry-Werner posse hasn't had the luxury of growing up with the heartbreak or the pride. But baseball is baseball - and to bring a new perspective to Boston (one which doesn't have its soul on lease to Yankee Stadium) is healthy for BoSox fans everywhere.
 
To sell a team to a hot dog pusher simply to have a hometown boy in charge doesn't help anyone, let alone Boston's blood-sniffing provocateur-journalists.
 
True Boston sports fans have indeed won."

Of course, I was right and Shaughnessy, like usual, was wrong. That's the point of this otherwise irrelevant post. That, and thanks to Eric Wilbur for paying attention to the readers and to the team we love.

NOTE: there is a whole blog devoted to the question: How does Dan Shaughnessy have a job at a major daily newspaper? It gets way more traffic than the MikeLowellSucks.com.

 

Bugging Eric Wilbur

Eric Wilbur, the Boston.com blog guy/sports journalist gave out his early grades on Sox players. From the top...

Jonathan Papelbon: I know, we all want to see him start eventually, but it’s just not possible right now. Papelbon’s dominance has shortened games to eight innings for the Sox, an invaluable asset that can’t be tinkered with. So far, the leading candidate for AL Rookie of the Year.+++++

...to the mixed-bag/bottom:

Wily Mo Pena: Defensively, he is nothing less than atrocious. However, let’s give credit where it is due. We don’t know how many hours of the day Pena is spending with Papa Jack, but they do appear to be paying off somewhat in just the past week. Pena has shortened his swing a little bit, and has been more selective at the plate, going deeper into counts, or at least a little deeper than three pitches. He’s still a project, but he’s also become perhaps the most intriguing player on this team. Offensively: +, Defensively: -----

However, Wilbur failed to rank our man, Lenny DiNardo.  Oh, don't worry...I bugged him...and he sent this on:

OK, let's say it's: ++

Has pitched very well in relief, with a fairly good start to boot.

In Wilbur's eyes, this puts him in the same category as Wakefield, Stern, and Timlin -- which I think is a fair assessment. We'll see how his outing this Saturday helps or hurts...

Thanks for the response, Eric.

"Go out and pitch like Lenny DiNardo"

Last night, Tito confirmed that DiNardo will be starting Saturday's game against Roy Halladay.  Turns out the Globe had to inform Lenny of this situation, which means two things: (1) clubhouse communication isn't quite up to par and (2) Lenny isn't reading The Lenny DiNardo Blog regularly enough.

That said, the Globe article gave some begrudging praise in its article on DiNardo: "a more-than-serviceable spot start." 

They pulled some good quotes from Lenny, as well:

"I've always told myself I want to pitch in the big leagues, [as] a starter, a reliever, a ballboy, whatever," DiNardo said. ''It's just one of those things where this is a dream come true, especially playing for the Red Sox. It's unbelievable.

''Being a starter is icing on the cake. It's really surreal, me pitching for the Boston Red Sox and starting, with guys like Curt Schilling, Tim Wakefield, [Josh] Beckett, [Matt] Clement, all those guys.

''It's unreal. I'm going to ride it for as long as I can."

C'mon, Lenny. It's either unreal or surreal--can it be both?  Maybe, it can. Who am I to judge?

''Be aggressive, and pitch like I know I'm capable to pitch," he said. ''Don't go out and try to be Curt Schilling. Don't try to be Josh Beckett. Go out and pitch like Lenny DiNardo, which is a guy that's going to let the movement get the guys out. I'm not going to strike a lot of guys out."

That's the best advice I've heard in a while. I think I'm going to start talking myself up like that - "Go out and pitch like Lenny DiNardo." I like it.

Day-After DiNardo Coverage

After yesterday's outing, most of the coverage is focused on Bam-Bam Loretta's walk-off homerun. (There's been a lot of bad headlines up there, but no one thought of this one: "V is for Loretta" - hey, feel free to use it...I've got a whole bag full good stuff like that).  However, most of the local papers gave a head nod to Lenny's clutch fill-in performance.  It seems like Lenny got a little emotional at the end of the day:

"“It’s a feeling that I really can’t explain,” he said. “I can’t tell you what I thought. I did get some tears in my eyes, though. I can’t say that happens very often but it definitely happened when he hit that ball.”"

In terms of coverage, it appears that the Herald appreciated the outing ("A Special Kind of Win"), while the Globe could find little more than to say that he hasn't gotten a win (and make it sound like DiNardo was somehow disappointed in his outing).  This has been a pretty consistent slant (from both papers) since early spring training: Herald-Happy to see Lenny succeed; Globe-Would be able to write chicken little columns if he fails. They also disagree about how many appearances he has in the majors: Globe-33, Herald-31 (according to Baseball-Reference.com, he had 30 appearances before this season, so, plus 3 in 2006 should make 33).  The Globe points out that Lenny is coming up on Scott Williamson's record of 52 appearances without a win. 

As for the other papers, they followed the Herald's lead and had some favorable coverage: ProJo ("First Start Pleases DiNardo"), Hartford Courant ("Solid Start by DiNardo")

Here's a betting-odds article on DiNardo's start that I wish I had found before the game. The oddsmaker kept the Sox as the favorites, even with Lenny starting:

“I don`t believe you`ll see a significant drop in the Red Sox price,” says Belmont.com oddsmaker Peter Childs. “Wells had been slated to be the Red Sox fifth starter, the last man in their rotation. It’s not like DiNardo is stepping in for Curt Schilling or Josh Beckett.”

Here are some more quotes:

Lenny:

• "Yeah, I am ecstatic right now, more for the ‘W’ than anything else,” he said. “What can I say? Mark Loretta (who hit the walkoff, two-run homer) can’t get much more clutch than that. Kevin Youkilis (whose infield single preceded Loretta’s homer), he plays like that every day so it’s not like a fluke or anything. He hustles like that every day. So I am really excited right now."
• “I felt like my stuff was getting better throughout the game progressively,” DiNardo said. “Just trying to put the ball in play and give it to the defense, let them take over. They made some really great plays today.”

Tito:

• “Five innings, and I thought as the game progressed he got a little more comfortable,” Sox manager Terry Francona said. “It probably helped that when he got into the flow of the game, his ball started sinking a little bit better, cutting. Thought he did a good job. Five innings and keeping us right in the game is what we needed today.”

Captain:

• "He did a good job keeping us in reach," agreed catcher Jason Varitek.

DirtDogs:

• All Wells and Good: DiNardo Keeps Sox in the Game

The ProJo is also reporting that Lenny's outing was good enough to earn him another start, when Wells's spot in the rotation comes around again (Saturday v. Toronto). You thought Gil Meche was a tough pitcher to go up against?  Lenny faces a gimpy Roy Halladay on Saturday. The Herald's Blog thinks that Lenny might get a 3d start due to Wells's trip to the Dl...

PHOTO CREDIT: Boston Herald,  Matthew West

DirtDogs: DiNardokay

So, I've been busy and bad on the blogging front. I'm trying to get this kid out of jail (he got totally hosed), I'm studying for finals, and I've had some poker to play.  That said...this post is jampacked with some wicked awesome DiNardo news -- below you'll find info on:

(1) DiNardo's last outing
(2) David Riske's Trip to the DL
(3) David Wells's Trip to the DL
(4) Lenny's Start on Monday (plus, liveblogging!)
(5) Silvio Berlusconi's Loss (plus, fascism!)

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1.) Last Outing: April 12, 2006
Wells got shelled (as expected) and Lenny got a chance to work some innings. This seems to be Lenny's role on the team: A starter lets up half a dozen runs or so, Lenny is brought in to eat up innings until we can get to the next game.  Hey, it's a role...

Unfortunately, DiNardo let another inherited runner score (what the hell, Wells deserved the extra ER).  Beyond that, he pitched alright.  He allowed one run of his own over the 3 innings of relief to lower his ERA by .048 to 3.38. Here are the pitching lines for Wednesday's game.

Boston	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Wells (L, 0-1)	4.0	10	7	7	1	1	3	15.75
DiNardo	3.0	6	1	1	1	2	0	3.38
Seanez	2.0	0	0	0	1	2	0	9.00

Also, the DirtDog's updated nickname for Lenny is a little better than last time: What a Relief: Lenny DiNardokay, Seanez Says Hello

2.) Riske on the DL
So, you may have been wondering -- how is it that DiNardo came in to relieve Wells? Wasn't he supposed to be sent down to AAA to make room for the Big Boomer? Yes, he was supposed to. But terrible pitcher, David Riske, experienced a bad case of back pain from sucking so much. The Sox placed him on the 15-day DL, leaving the spot for Lenny.

3.) Wells on the DL
After his painful outing last Wednesday, April 12th, David Wells was placed BACK on the 15-day DL as well, retroactive to Thursday, April 13th -- which, after careful sabermetricizing, comes out to about NINE HOURS of service on the team so far this season.

4.) Lenny's Start
The good news about Wells's and Riske's trips to the DL is that Lenny not only stays on the big league club, but he gets the START on Monday. Hey, I might try to Live-Blog this sucker. That would be a first for The Lenny DiNardo Blog -- and one that I bet would have about 3 people reading it live -- thanks, mom, Graham from Brookline, and Chris from Westboro.

No promises yet - but check back on Monday at 11:05am - the best In-Game action you're gonna find. Screw ESPN's gamecast.

By this point, this has been widely reported...but special thanks to Graham from Brookline for the tip early today when only Jeff Horrigan from the Boston Herald had the story.

5.) Berlusconi's Loss

This is the random piece of news from today: Insane Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi devised a system a few years back that allowed "Italians Abroad" (or those citizens of other countries who have Italian bloodlines) to vote in the National Italian Political Elections.

The "Italians abroad" voting scheme was designed by Mirko Tremaglia, the 80-year-old Minister of Italians in the World. An unapologetic defender of the Fascist regime of Benito Mussolini, Mr. Tremaglia is said to have modelled the scheme after a Fascist scheme that defined Italians as a race.

Under Mr. Tremaglia's new electoral law, eligible voters are defined as anyone with a continuous line of male descendants going back to a man born in Italy. The voter needs only to register with an Italian consulate, and does not have to speak Italian, have visited Italy or even have parents who were born in Italy. Link.

Turns out that the proud Italians in other countries actually voted against Berlusconi's government. Those foreign votes were actually the deciding votes in parliament -- which appears to have shifted to the center-left Prodi government. How crazy is that? And we thought that the World Baseball Classic definitions of an Italian were stretching a little. We had no idea that they were Fascist!!

...I wonder how the DiNardo clan voted?

Globe: Breaking Down the BP

The Globe has its pre-season look at the 25-man roster (and a good story about the upcoming "Fab 5" Pawtucket prospects).  They give Lenny some love: "the only trustworthy lefty the Sox have."   They also mention that "DiNardo never seems to get much attention."...which means they're not reading The Lenny DiNardo Blog enough.

Wilbur the Magnificent

Now that the 25-man opening day roster is set, Eric Wilbur (the Boston.com sportwriter/blogger) is predicting how the season will turn out.  I've pulled his predictions re: the bullpen and have reproduced them here (fair use, right?):

Keith Foulke: Last season’s meltdown was the first time Foulke had had an ERA above 2.97 since 1998. With his head seemingly back on his shoulders this spring, and his performance on the mound thus far solid, Foulke’s comeback is off to a good start, which means the Fenway fans will embrace him from the get-go. But Craig Hansen lies waiting in Pawtucket, and if Theo Epstein can get a team to bite on Foulke mid-season, you can bet he won’t hesitate to deal him away.

Prediction: 3.56 ERA, 22 saves

Jonathan Papelbon: Boston’s ace-in-waiting will start the year doing a little setup work, quite possibly closing some ballgames. He should be in the rotation as soon as one of the starting five go down with an injury, or if one of them is dealt.

Prediction: 9-3, 3.07 ERA, 6 saves

Lenny DiNardo: Will shuttle to Pawtucket when Wells comes off the DL, but should be back up with the club sooner than later based on the turbulent state of affairs in the bullpen.

Prediction: 3.65 ERA

Julian Tavarez: The only question is, will he finish the season with more holds or more days suspended?

Prediction: 4.33 ERA

Mike Timlin: Last season was widely considered one of his best, but there’s some smoke and mirrors there. Timlin allowed 18 of 32 inherited runners to score, and his 1.32 WHIP was his worst since 2001. But he was the only reliable arm in the ‘pen for much of the season, and in a more suited middle relief role this season.

Prediction: 3.33 ERA

David Riske: Eric Wedge gave up on him down the stretch last season. The only reason Terry Francona won’t is because he’s got Rudy Seanez to worry about.

Prediction: 4.87 ERA

Rudy Seanez: The sequel is just as bad as the original.

Prediction: 5.04 ERA

It is somewhat shocking to me that three of the last four guys here in the bullpen actually make the team without questions -- they're way more expensive than a Delcarmen, a Hansen, a Lester, a Meredith and -- if Wilbur's predictions prove correct -- way worse in the ERA department.  Remember, these guys pitch for 0.1 - 1.2 innings a game. A 5.xx ERA is not a good sign. I'm sure *veteran leadership* in the pen is always good, but I don't think Francona should hesitate to pull the trigger and give a chance to one of these kids in the system if Riske, Seanez, or Tavarez implodes.  That's why we play the games, right?

Thanks to Wilbur for the positive prediction on Lenny...

ProJo: DiNardo Likely on Opening Day Roster

Well, just as I posted the alarming AP story below, I found today's Providence Journal story on how the final roster is shaping up. The positive news is that Lenny will be on the opening day roster; the negative news is that he'll "sacrifice" his spot to Wells after the first week and a half:

For now, it's the Red Sox' intention to open the season with 11 pitchers -- their four starters (minus David Wells) -- Curt Schilling, Tim Wakefield, Josh Beckett and Matt Clement) -- and seven relievers -- Keith Foulke, Jonathan Papelbon, David Riske, Rudy Seanez, Mike Timlin, Julian Tavarez and, likely, Lenny DiNardo.

The Sox will start the season without a lefty specialist in the bullpen. Former Red Sox lefty Rheal Cormier is available, and a Mohr-for-Cormier swap wouldn't be out of the question if Cormier's salary -- $2.5 million this season, with a $3-million option for next season -- weren't so high.

DiNardo will give the Sox a long man for the first 10 days or so, then sacrifice his spot to Wells, who, much to his displeasure, will open the season on the disabled list before being activated in time to pitch either April 12 or April 15, whenever the Sox first determine they need a fifth starter. The schedule gives them two off-days in the first eight of the season.

"Bullpen taking shape"

The AP has a story about the Sox bullpen plans for the upcoming season. In it, they fail to mention Lenny. Not once. Not even a "fighting for the last spot" line that most of the other reports have listed. AND they're quoting Tito.

"Our bullpen looks really good," Francona said.

It was really bad last season.

Red Sox relievers had a 5.17 ERA and the fewest strikeouts in the majors in 2005. Since then, the team restocked its bullpen with right-handers Julian Tavarez, Rudy Seanez and David Riske, and still has Mike Timlin after parting with Chad Bradford and Mike Myers.

This looks bad. Even the AWFUL spring that Riske has had hasn't soured the skipper against bringing him along:

Riske, obtained from Cleveland, is 0-2 with an 11.57 ERA in 9 1-3 innings.

"David's had a tough spring," Francona said. "That doesn't mean he's going to have a tough season.

We've seen very little news on the DiNardo front as of late. He's slated to pitch on Saturday...so another strong performance could push him up on the depth chart.

RedSox.com Q&A

Ian Brown, the sole journalist covering the Red Sox for the last few years for the official MLB-site, RedSox.com, answered some questions from his "mailbag." Here's one dealing with Lenny:

Why hasn't Lenny DiNardo been around for Spring Training? I haven't seen or heard his name mentioned. I figured he'd be in there a lot making a bid to be the only lefty in the 'pen.
-- Harry Q., Plymouth, Mass.

DiNardo was out of camp for a while because of his participation for Italy in the World Baseball Classic. As for DiNardo being a lefty out of the 'pen, he's not a true southpaw reliever in the sense that he actually fares better against right-handed batters. DiNardo's best role for the Red Sox at this point would be as a long man. The question is: With all the depth the Red Sox have from a pitching standpoint, will they have enough roster spots to have a long reliever?

This answer is yes. Of course, I'm guessing this "mailbag" was written before the events below transpired. 

This also makes me think about starting my own "mailbag."  Of course, neither Edes, Brown, Simmons, or any other journalists actually get enough mail to actually require a mailbag to be used.  That said, I'm going to start a Red Sox/DiNardo "eBag" - which, of course, is different from a Red Sox D-Bag...which, of course, I am.

UPDATE: Someone emailed and said I should call it the DiBag. Perhaps, I will. Perhaps I will.

Theo on Lenny, WMP trade

Theo's Comments Post-Arroyo-Trade (thanks to Chris from Westboro for the heads up):

We like Lenny DiNardo, Jonathan Papelbon, and Jon Lester, who may be ready to help us at the end of the season. I still think we have enough pitching depth but don’t hold me to it if we’re scrambling for bodies in June.

The SOSH Boards are buzzing about Lenny's new role as well (you're going to have to go through the threads to find these...):

I think this is an excellent point and I completely agree. I was very impressed with what little I saw of DiNardo last season and I think he would be fine as an emergency/spot 7th starter. I bet every team in the majors would love to have someone of his caliber as their 7th starter.
...
PECOTA projected Arroyo for a 4.47 ERA this year, and DiNardo for a 4.78. That's not a huge gap, especially considering DiNardo's projection probably has a higher variance due to his GB tendencies--the IF defense behind him makes a big difference.
...
As others have mentioned, I also like the idea of opening a spot for Dinardo and adding a versatile lefthander into the bullpen mix. He is an ideal swingman.
...
I also agree that it may leave more room for DiNardo to make the squad if one of the relievers does not cut it. Like most, I would like at least one lefty in the bullben.
...
I also think that Dinardo could be Bronson Arroyo from the left side (he was similarly recovered from the scrap heap). Wells and Dinardo give the Sox needed lefty balance on the pitching staff too.

Nipper: No Lefty in Pen...

After we cheered for the demotion of other players, Al Nipper and the Bristol Press kicked us in the junk:

The team may not open the season with a southpaw in the bullpen, since righties like Rudy Seanez and David Riske are effective against lefties.

"Obviously if you have a quality lefthander, a big-name guy, that would help," said interim pitching coach Al Nipper. "But there’s been teams that have been successful that didn’t have a lefty. The fact that we do have guys that can get lefties out, that are quality guys, helps us also."

Frickin' Nipper. Spoken like a true RHP asshole. Let's see how Nipper did against lefties during his career. Ok, I couldn't find any of his stats v. left-handed batters. They probably sucked though.

Pawtucket Times Roundup

Leave it to the PawSox local paper... the Pawtucket Times sat down with Lenny to discuss everything from playing for Team Italy ("Getting the call is an honor") and his Italian heritage ("Every Sunday, growing up, we’d always have pasta"), to being an American ("I’m (also) proud to be American") and his pitching prospects for this spring in the WBC and with the Sox:

DiNardo, who is vying for a spot as a lefthander in the Sox’ bullpen, doesn’t know whether or not he’ll start or relieve in the WBC. All he’s been told is that he’ll throw an inning against Detroit in an exhibition game on Saturday, then another on March 7 against Team Australia. He also knows that a Red Sox representative will be on hand to make sure DiNardo isn’t overworked.

DiNardo’s status on the Red Sox is even less clear. He’s hardly a shoo-in to make the team out of spring training, but he’s not worried about possibly missing close to three weeks of camp.

"If this was my first year, I definitely would not be going. But I feel right now, the Red Sox have an idea of what I can do. I’ll pretty much be doing the same thing as all the other guys."

I like his attitude. Being a veteran has its benefits.

Lefty Toss-up: Wells or Lenny?

Chris from Westboro forwarded this article from the T&G (Worcester Telegram & Gazette) in which Big Bill Ballou suggests that a Wells trade would create a lefty vaccuum, with Lenny as the main beneficiary.

With David Wells iffy due to his recovery from an injury, and his desire to be traded, the Sox don’t have a left-hander on the staff as currently comprised. Boston has to open the regular season with at least one, so if Wells isn’t on the team, DiNardo probably will be.

I hope this would be right. First, it seems like Wells will not be convinced to stick around (even with his gaudy Fenway numbers over the last three years: 2.79era / 9-1 / 100 innings / 13bb / 63so)). But second, having Lenny fill Wells' Wells's shoes seems like a longshot - especially with Jon Lester showing good stuff this spring. Hey, whatever it takes for him to get in there, I'm for. Make it happen.

NOTE: Thanks to Mike from Nashua for the reminder on the singular possessive. Merely an oversight...

Projo: DiNardo on the Bubble

The Projo's Steve Krasner is clearly no fan of Lenny DiNardo (see exhibits A and B) In today's Providence Journal Red Sox Notebook, Krasner breaks down the question marks remaining in spring training, including the bullpen situation - for that I thank him. As for Lenny, Krasner thinks he's "on the bubble" with a few others. However, he fails to mention the complete lack of lefties in the pen if Lenny is sent to Pawtucket.

The bullpen corps will revolve around Foulke's health, too, but Julian Tavarez and Rudy Seanez are expected to keep Mike Timlin from being overworked, while David Riske, Lenny DiNardo and Manny Delcarmen might be on the bullpen bubble.

Projo: "Varsity" Blues

I'm not sure what this means, but the Projo's Krasner once again seems down Lenny:

Maybe no conclusion should be drawn, but non-roster left-hander Mike Holtz was working on the diamond where the majority of the "varsity" pitchers were participating in the rundown drills. The Sox don't have a holdover left-hander for the bullpen except Lenny DiNardo, who is not the classic type of situational southpaw. Holtz has not pitched in the big leagues since 2002, and did not pitch at all in 2005. He has been in 350 major-league games, mostly with the Angels' organization, from 1996-2001. He split time with Oakland and San Diego in 2002.

I guess it's possible that Lenny could be the long reliever out of the pen and Holtz (or Breslow) could be Krasner's "classic" situation lefty.  I need to hear Francona's take on his possible pen situation. The "problem" as it exists for Lenny is probably the surplus of quality starters that will take up pitching spaces in the pen (Arroyo, Clement?, Wake?).  In a normal world with a dearth of starting pitching, you'd want to keep a DiNardo around for spot starting & long relief.  That may not be true when you have a couple spare starters hanging around.  However, I won't draw any conclusions from Krasner's observations -- we'll wait for Francona to make his own.

Fire Brand Preview

Evan takes a look at (former?) minor league Sox pitchers as we head into the season. Like most true Boston fans, he thinks Lenny is the "real deal:"

Did you know that in 2004, Lenny pitched for the GCL Red Sox, Sarasota, Portland, Pawtucket, and Boston? Well traveled. He stuck to Pawtucket and Boston this year, and really put himself on my radar. In 23 games, 22 starts, in Pawtucket, he had a 3.15 ERA and a 6-3 record. He K’d 93 in 108.2 IP and walked 35. He went to Boston and appeared in 8 games (one start) and had a 1.84 ERA in 14.2 IP. I’m really hoping he can steal a bullpen spot. He’s the real deal in my opinion.

I'm not sure that stealing a bullpen spot is really what needs to happen. I think it's really going to come down to Lenny and Craig Breslow.  Maybe due to his tenure with the club, he's got some supporters in there that want to see him do well and might give him the extra boost.  But I'm not sure it would be a shock for him to be the main lefty out of the bullpen.

NOTE: ProJo talks with Breslow about his chances. It seems like they're making their way through Group Four. Let's hope they splash a little ink Lenny's way...

Projo: Pulling for Seibel

Steven Krasner, from the Providence Journal, mentions yesterday's Group 4 workout:

One group throwing off the mound was an all-lefty crew -- Phil Seibel , Mike Holtz , Lenny DiNardo , Craig Breslow and Mike Bumatay . The Sox do not have a proven lefty out of the bullpen on board.

For Seibel, it was his first work off the mound since July 2004. Since then, he has been rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and further surgery to re-route a ligament in the elbow. Seibel, 27, fought the urge to throw too hard to impress.

"It was exciting to be out there. It was nice. I was real happy I was able to stay calm," said Seibel, who had a two-game, 3 2/3-inning cup of coffee in Boston in 2004.

I mean, you're always happy for a guy like Seibel to come off Tommy John Surgery and pitch again. Great stuff. Doesn't mean he should get Lenny's place, though. As for proven...Give LD a chance.

Youkilis Syndrome

Chris from Westboro sends this blurb over from Over the Monster:

Edes also thinks Lenny DiNardo will be the lefty of the 'pen.  Dinardo has been a victim of KYS (Kevin Youkilis Syndrome. Formerly known as LMS, Lou Merloni Syndrome), but not to the degree of others.  His time in the big leagues has been short, but he's pitched well in those innings.  I think he deserves a full-time job.

Couldn't agree more!  This year is the "year" for a lot of guys to prove themselves on the major league level -  Youkilis, Lenny, Paps...maybe even Hanson, Hansen, Delcarmen, and Lester, if they get a shot.

UPDATE: MmmBop.

Francona likes Lenny's Chances

The skipper has some backhanded compliments for DiNardo - but he seems supportive of his decision to play for Italy in the WBC:

Francona will not have lefthander Lenny DiNardo because he's also playing for Team USA.

''Lenny has a chance to be a very good pitcher," Francona said. ''You see some guys take a few years before they start putting it together. He's not a hard thrower, but he's learning how to pitch. It looks like Lenny is getting there. This tournament is a great opportunity for Lenny to get out there and show what he can do."

UPDATE: I actually just read that quote over again. Nick Cadarfo should stick to football. Lenny's playing for his homeland, not the USA.

Lenny, the Long Man

RedSox.com reports:

Look for a lefty: In Mike Myers, the Red Sox had one of the best pure lefty specialists in the game. When Boston let Myers go (he wound up with the Yankees), the Sox cited the fact that they were looking for pitchers who could retire batters from both sides of the plate. However, they come to camp very thin in the department of left-handed relievers. Lenny DiNardo is more of a long man. If you're looking for a dark horse, keep an eye on non-roster invitee Craig Breslow, who was strong in limited chances with the Padres last season.

On the 40-Man Roster

So, to get this thing going, here's a rundown of how the 2006 season is shaping up for our man, Lenny DiNardo.  According to most reports, the Sox have a glut of pitching this season (oh the humanity), so no one is quite sure where Lenny fits into the mix. On the plus end, he's one of the few leftys available for relief.

Here's a quick rundown of recent headlines:

In a Q&A with Sean McAdam of the ProJo, astute reader jemarcil asked the question on everyone's mind:

jemarcil: Sean, curious to know the status of 2 pitchers no one talkes about, Lenny Dinardo, and Cla Meridith. I know Cla had a horrible time last year (although I thought he was put into a position to fail) but I thought the team was high on him? Have the soured?
Sean        McAdam: DiNardo is a good bet to make the team as the long man/spot starter. I think he impressed them in the final month or so of the season. As for Meredith, he definitely struggled after his brief May callup, and he's got more talented arms (Hansen, Delcarmen) ahead of him in the organization. He needs to bounce back this spring to show that he's still in their plans.

Some asshole at the South of Boston Enterprise (who are these guys?):

The Red Sox might not have a lefthander in the bullpen (sorry, Lenny Dinardo), but with their newest relief pitcher [David Riske] in town, they might not need one.

Apparently Gordon Edes is looking for a lefty-on-lefty fight in Fort Myers:

Seven pitchers also are among the invitees, including lefthander Craig Breslow, who held lefthanders to an .063 average (1 for 16) in his big-league debut for the Padres last season and figures to be given a chance to challenge holdover Lenny DiNardo as the team's only lefthander out of the pen.

Regardless of the fight ahead and all the naysayers...we at Long Live Lenny know he'll be on the 25-man roster come opening day. Go Lenny.