Opening Day stats - what does a win or loss portend?

I really should do a study of wins or losses versus rankings in the standings, but why bother?

The Sox are 55-58-1 all-time on Opening Day (excluding G2 of twinbills in 1903, 1948, 1982).

Now, what I was really curious about: in the years the Red Sox have won the pennant:

1903 - it was a doubleheader. Boston won first game, lost second.
1904 - lost
1912 - won (first three games)
1915 - lost
1916 - won (first four games)
1918 - won (first six games)
1946 - won (first five games)
1967 - won
1975 - won
1986 - lost (first two games)
2004 - lost
2007 - lost
2013 - won (first two games)

As I expected, ya can't draw conclusions from a win or a loss in the first game of the season.

That said, I'd rather have a win than a loss.  It still keeps alive the possibility of going 162-0!

Opening Day - and where's Cole Hamels?

Somewhat ironic, after all the rumors over the winter, that Cole Hamels is starting AGAINST the Red Sox on Opening Day.

The new season is upon us.  It's been a long winter, always longer if your team finished in last place.  The Patriots didn't finish last, of course. But the Red Sox need another "worst to first" season - wouldn't that be special?

a brand-new book to see you through the winter! FROM THE BABE TO THE BEARDS

The World Series? Without the Red Sox this year? Don't fret - there are plenty of great memories you can rely on for right now - and over the winter.

Jim Prime and I were thinking of you. Here's a new book to see you through October, and the winter.

We recommend it!

with David Ortiz's 35th home run, he passes the "halfway point"

With David Ortiz's 35th home run tonight, he passes the "halfway point" - he's got 35 this year and now only needs 34 more to reach 500.

If he can hit two or three more before the season's over, that will reduce the remaining number accordingly.

He just might be able to reach 500 in 2015.

Boston Red Sox biographies, 1901-1925 complete

With the biography of Ike Boone that I turned in today, SABR's BioProject now has a biography of every Boston Red Sox player from 10-1 through 1925 - complete.  There are a dozen or so still in the editing phase, but before too long every one of them will be on the BostonBall.com website.  Most of them already are.

The Butler did it!

"The Butler did it!" It was Elimination Day – the day a loss would officially eliminate the last-place Red Sox from postseason possibilities. And the first-place Orioles jumped out to an 8-0 lead though five. In fact, Bruce Chen has a no-hitter going. The redeeming Red Sox moment in the game came when catcher Dan Butler (0-for-11 prior to the game) connected for his first big-league base hit –a double – in the bottom of the sixth. Butler doubled again in the eighth, and singled in the ninth. In the bottom of the ninth, Carlos Rivero hit his first major-league home run, a three-run homer. Final score? after a five-run bottom of the ninth: 10-6. 

the fourth #7 of the season - Jemile Weeks

Now that Jemile Weeks' Red Sox debut is official, we note that he's the fourth player to wear #7 just this year:

Stephen Drew              2013-14

Ryan Roberts               2014

Kelly Johnson               2014

Jemile Weeks               2014

And the 33rd in Red Sox history.

What a debut: picked off first base in the top of the 10th.