Are the Sox looking to pull off a Green Monster-sized trade before the clock strikes four on Friday? The rumors are flying faster than fly balls out of the new Yankee Stadium. Everyone loves to play GM at this time of the season and I'm no exception. Here's my $.02 on some of these rumors:
1. The Sox may be trying to pull off a trade for both V-Mart and Cliff Lee: It would take a lot to pull off such a blockbuster, but if the Sox could swing it, it would solve two big needs on the team right now. Those needs would be an impact bat and a middle-to-top of the rotation pitcher. With the offense being the way it's been lately, a bat like V-Mart would be a huge help. If he can learn to catch the knuckler, all the better. Cliff Lee may not be Roy Halladay, but acquiring him would be like having another Beckett or Lester and three of those high-quality starters is better than two. Why do we need another starter? After Beckett and Lester, all the Sox have are a bunch of question marks, especially when you consider the post-season. Penny has made a significant contribution this season, but he's a 5-6 inning starter and a #5 on a contending team like the Red Sox. Wake's on the DL and historically has struggled in October. Smoltz--I'm just not convinced he's the solution the front office had hoped he'd be. Buchholz is still finding his way at the major league level and may get dealt in a trade. And Dice-K, he's the biggest question mark of all!
2. The Sox are in the mix for Roy Halladay: Getting a premier pitcher like Roy Halladay would be awesome. However, the haul the Jays would require for him would make getting another bat all but impossible. If the Sox are willing to live with Adam LaRoche as a power bat off the bench--and his career second-half numbers suggest he could be a big contributor--then they could go all out for Halladay. It's possible a salary-dump bat could be had in addition to Doc, possibly Rios, Wells, Rolen, or Scutaro. Scutaro is particularly appealing, given his success as a leadoff hitter.
3. The Sox are knocking down the doors in San Diego in pursuit of Adrian Gonzalez: Gonzalez is a guy who can help the club both now and in the future. He's just 27 and he's hitting balls out of the cavernous Petco Park to the tune of 26 so far this year. The snag in the plan is whether or not the Padres are willing to deal a franchise player and risk alienating their fanbase.
4. The Sox are on the lookout for a right-handed outfielder: With the loss of Kotsay and with Baldelli's health issues, that might not be such a bad idea. The names being kicked around are Cody Ross and Willie Bloomquist. Their batting averages are almost identical, but Ross has the power while Bloomquist can steal some bases. How about Josh Willingham? Those two grand salamis last night were pretty awesome, weren't they? He bats just a shade under .300 and has 16 HR and 39 RBI on the season. Only drawback with him is he's a left fielder and I believe the Sox are looking more to shore up right and possibly center field. That and will the Nats move him?
The next few days are going to be verrrrry interesting...
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
You've Got to Get There First...
When the Sox signed John Smoltz in the off-season, it was with October in mind. He's a proven post-season performer over his long career. That being said, he's also 42 years old and trying to come back from major shoulder surgery. The Braves, for whom Smoltz has played for his entire career up until now, elected to pass on offering him another contract to try and come back from injury and surgery. The Red Sox, who have a penchant for low-risk, high-reward experiments, thought that there was a good enough chance Smoltz would return to his Hall of Fame-bound form just in time for the stretch run and the post-season. Hope springs eternal for the likes of the Red Sox front office. After all, he was much cheaper than, say, Mark Teixeira.
Fast forward to today, July 26, after Smoltz has made his 6th start as a Red Sox. The picture is not so pretty. He is 1-4 with a 7.04 ERA and has given up 6 runs in each of his last two starts, digging the sluggish Sox offense into a hole they cannot climb out of, especially against those big, bad rookie righties. Now, if he were with a team like the Royals, the Padres, or the Nats, they could afford to give him the whole rest of the season to try to work out the kinks. There's no pennant race to worry about for them. The Red Sox, on the other hand, are battling it out in the toughest division in baseball for two (or possibly only one) playoff spots. The have lost the division lead to the Yankees and the Rays aren't too far behind them. They can't afford to throw out a guy every five days who is likely to give up a bunch of runs, especially with the lack of firepower in their offense. With Wake on the DL right now, there aren't a whole lot of options, since Buchholz is already filling one spot in the rotation. That's why a Halladay deal, as unlikely as it is to happen, is very appealing. A rotation with Halladay, Beckett, and Lester as the 1-2-3, would be fierce and could tip the balance of power in the division in the Red Sox' favor, not to mention their chances of winning another World Series or two in the next two years. With Wake and Penny filling the bottom two spots, the Sox would no longer need to continue the Smoltz experiment.
However, with the offense lacking a certain amount of oomph (and suffering a baffling case of rookiephobia), it would appear a big-name, sexy bat would be the priority. V-Mart and Adrian Gonzalez are the two that seem to be on the top of Epstein's list and those would be some sweet additions to the lineup. Sox newbie Adam LaRoche, if his second half numbers hold true, could help them out as well. In his first two games, LaRoche has three hits, including a two-run dinger last night that put the game out of reach for the O's. If the Sox were to land V-Mart or Gonzalez, however, the new #23 might not be in Boston for long. He could end up being flipped to the Tribe or the Pads in a deal for one of those prized sluggers.
Speaking of wearers of #23, Julio Lugo, now a St. Louis Cardinal, has started off hot for his new team. He hit a triple and homered his first game, and has gone 8-for-14 in the series against the Phils, including a 4-hit game yesterday. He has traditionally been a Philly-killer, however, so it remains to be seen how well he'll do from here on out. Sometimes, though, a change of scenery makes a huge difference for a player. New team, new fans, new management styles, all of those come into play and I wish Julio the best. Another Sox castoff, David Aardsma, has thrived in Seattle after struggling mightily in Boston.
The A's are coming into town this week for a four-gamer. Come on, boys, let's try to at least take 3 of 4.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Fast forward to today, July 26, after Smoltz has made his 6th start as a Red Sox. The picture is not so pretty. He is 1-4 with a 7.04 ERA and has given up 6 runs in each of his last two starts, digging the sluggish Sox offense into a hole they cannot climb out of, especially against those big, bad rookie righties. Now, if he were with a team like the Royals, the Padres, or the Nats, they could afford to give him the whole rest of the season to try to work out the kinks. There's no pennant race to worry about for them. The Red Sox, on the other hand, are battling it out in the toughest division in baseball for two (or possibly only one) playoff spots. The have lost the division lead to the Yankees and the Rays aren't too far behind them. They can't afford to throw out a guy every five days who is likely to give up a bunch of runs, especially with the lack of firepower in their offense. With Wake on the DL right now, there aren't a whole lot of options, since Buchholz is already filling one spot in the rotation. That's why a Halladay deal, as unlikely as it is to happen, is very appealing. A rotation with Halladay, Beckett, and Lester as the 1-2-3, would be fierce and could tip the balance of power in the division in the Red Sox' favor, not to mention their chances of winning another World Series or two in the next two years. With Wake and Penny filling the bottom two spots, the Sox would no longer need to continue the Smoltz experiment.
However, with the offense lacking a certain amount of oomph (and suffering a baffling case of rookiephobia), it would appear a big-name, sexy bat would be the priority. V-Mart and Adrian Gonzalez are the two that seem to be on the top of Epstein's list and those would be some sweet additions to the lineup. Sox newbie Adam LaRoche, if his second half numbers hold true, could help them out as well. In his first two games, LaRoche has three hits, including a two-run dinger last night that put the game out of reach for the O's. If the Sox were to land V-Mart or Gonzalez, however, the new #23 might not be in Boston for long. He could end up being flipped to the Tribe or the Pads in a deal for one of those prized sluggers.
Speaking of wearers of #23, Julio Lugo, now a St. Louis Cardinal, has started off hot for his new team. He hit a triple and homered his first game, and has gone 8-for-14 in the series against the Phils, including a 4-hit game yesterday. He has traditionally been a Philly-killer, however, so it remains to be seen how well he'll do from here on out. Sometimes, though, a change of scenery makes a huge difference for a player. New team, new fans, new management styles, all of those come into play and I wish Julio the best. Another Sox castoff, David Aardsma, has thrived in Seattle after struggling mightily in Boston.
The A's are coming into town this week for a four-gamer. Come on, boys, let's try to at least take 3 of 4.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Dr. Hitmore and the Home Plate Bonfire
In times where the Red Sox offense is looking like a candidate for a federal bailout package and games are as depressing to watch as the nightly news, sometimes the only way to stay sane is to have a good laugh. In the spirit of making fun of a bad situation, gather 'round for a little story about an old friend:
Dr. Hitmore and the Home Plate Bonfire
Something's burning in Texas. Is that smoke wafting up from the Rangers ballpark in Arlington? Let's take a closer look... Yes, he's at it again! Dr. Ulysses William (U. Will for short) Hitmore is back and he's brought a blowtorch with him.
Dr. Hitmore (standing over home plate): You can drop your bat right here, Mr. Ellsbury. (Ells drops bat and lets it fall right on top of the plate) Now, Mr. Pedroia, you're next.
Pedey: What's this all about, Doc?
Dr. Hitmore: It's catharsis, young Mr. Pedroia. Something evil this way has come and it's gotten into this team's offense. Now, may I have your bat? (Pedey dumps his bat on top of Ellsbury's). Thank you, Mr. Pedroia. Now, Mr. Youkilis, you're next. (Youk adds his bat to the pile). Mr. Ortiz
Papi: This crazy, man!
Dr. Hitmore: It may seem a trifle unorthodox, Mr. Ortiz, but the time has come to relinquish the instruments of our torment. (Papi drops his bat) Mr. Bay, you're up. (J-Bay drops his bat)
Mr. Drew. (JD drops his bat) Mr. Lowell...Mr. Varitek...Mr. Lowrie... (Lowell, Tek, and Lowrie drop their bats). Now for the bench...Mr. Green, Mr. Kotsay, Mr. Kottaras, Mr. Baldelli. (Green, Kotsay, Kottaras, and Baldelli add their bats to the pile) Thank you, gentlemen. Now, the pyrotechnics! But wait! Before we do that, I need to pass out these (pulls Yankees and Rays voodoo dolls out of his bag)
Youk: Those voodoo dolls?
Papi: I think this dude watch "Major League" too many times!
Pedey: Can I have A-Rod?
Lowell: I'll take Teixeira. I was almost traded 'cuz of him.
Tek: I'll take that Usain Bolt wannabe from the Rays. Dude stole like six bases on me.
Dr. Hitmore: I assume you mean Mr. Crawford.
Tek: Yeah, Crawford. I'll take him.
Dr. Hitmore: Any other requests?
Kotsay: I'll take Eva Longoria! She's pretty hot!
Dr. Hitmore (to himself) : Methinks this Mr. Kotsay fancies himself as the second coming of Mr. Millar. (to Kotsay) You must be mistaken. Ms. Longoria is, what do you call it, a Despicable Housewife? You may have Evan Longoria.
Kotsay: Desperate, Doc. She's a Desperate Housewife.
Papi: I take Garza. He scary, man!
Youk: Joba the Hutt for me, Doc.
Dr. Hitmore: If no one else has any preferences, I will distribute the rest of the dolls. Here, Mr. Bay, you get Mr. Bartlett. Mr. Lowrie, you get Mr. Jeter. Mr. Ellsbury, I have Mr. Upton for you. Mr. Drew, please take Mr. Swisher. Mr. Green, meet Mr. Pena. Mr. Baldelli, you get Mr. Matsui. Mr. Kottaras, you have Mr. Posada. Now, gentlemen, when I light this pile of refuse on fire, you will begin punishing your voodoo dolls. You may throw them down, step on them, shake them, or even throw them onto the fire. This ritual will release the evil spirits that have robbed you of the ability to hit the ball into the gaps and drive in runs. (turns on blowtorch and ignites the pile of bats)
Pedey: Sweet! A bonfire!
Youk: Take this, Joba! (Twists the head off of the Joba Chamberlain voodoo doll and throws it into the fire)
Dr. Hitmore: That's the spirit, Mr. Youkilis!
Tek: (snaps legs off of Carl Crawford doll) Can't run on me now, can ya, pal?
Papi: (twists off Garza's right arm) Now you gotta pitch lefty, man! Ha ha ha!
Kotsay: (to his Evan Longoria doll) You're no Eva, buddy! (Throws him down and steps on him)
Lowell: Nice knowing ya, Tex (chucks Teixeira doll into the fire)
J.D.: Man, this voodoo thing's nuts. See ya, Swish (tosses Swish into the fire).
Pedey: So, what's next, the primal scream?
Dr. Hitmore: Excellent idea, Mr. Pedroia. All the better for banishing the evil spirits. Now, on the count of three, everyone scream at the top of your lungs. Let all that bad energy out so the good energy can come in. One...two...three! (Pandemonium breaks loose as everyone screams and starts throwing things. Pedey raids the bag with the rest of the voodoo dolls and starts hurling them in all directions. Papelbon and the rest of the pitching staff come out of the clubhouse and join in the ruckus.)
Pap: Dude, this is one rockin' party! Anyone up for a jig?
Dr. Hitmore and the Home Plate Bonfire
Something's burning in Texas. Is that smoke wafting up from the Rangers ballpark in Arlington? Let's take a closer look... Yes, he's at it again! Dr. Ulysses William (U. Will for short) Hitmore is back and he's brought a blowtorch with him.
Dr. Hitmore (standing over home plate): You can drop your bat right here, Mr. Ellsbury. (Ells drops bat and lets it fall right on top of the plate) Now, Mr. Pedroia, you're next.
Pedey: What's this all about, Doc?
Dr. Hitmore: It's catharsis, young Mr. Pedroia. Something evil this way has come and it's gotten into this team's offense. Now, may I have your bat? (Pedey dumps his bat on top of Ellsbury's). Thank you, Mr. Pedroia. Now, Mr. Youkilis, you're next. (Youk adds his bat to the pile). Mr. Ortiz
Papi: This crazy, man!
Dr. Hitmore: It may seem a trifle unorthodox, Mr. Ortiz, but the time has come to relinquish the instruments of our torment. (Papi drops his bat) Mr. Bay, you're up. (J-Bay drops his bat)
Mr. Drew. (JD drops his bat) Mr. Lowell...Mr. Varitek...Mr. Lowrie... (Lowell, Tek, and Lowrie drop their bats). Now for the bench...Mr. Green, Mr. Kotsay, Mr. Kottaras, Mr. Baldelli. (Green, Kotsay, Kottaras, and Baldelli add their bats to the pile) Thank you, gentlemen. Now, the pyrotechnics! But wait! Before we do that, I need to pass out these (pulls Yankees and Rays voodoo dolls out of his bag)
Youk: Those voodoo dolls?
Papi: I think this dude watch "Major League" too many times!
Pedey: Can I have A-Rod?
Lowell: I'll take Teixeira. I was almost traded 'cuz of him.
Tek: I'll take that Usain Bolt wannabe from the Rays. Dude stole like six bases on me.
Dr. Hitmore: I assume you mean Mr. Crawford.
Tek: Yeah, Crawford. I'll take him.
Dr. Hitmore: Any other requests?
Kotsay: I'll take Eva Longoria! She's pretty hot!
Dr. Hitmore (to himself) : Methinks this Mr. Kotsay fancies himself as the second coming of Mr. Millar. (to Kotsay) You must be mistaken. Ms. Longoria is, what do you call it, a Despicable Housewife? You may have Evan Longoria.
Kotsay: Desperate, Doc. She's a Desperate Housewife.
Papi: I take Garza. He scary, man!
Youk: Joba the Hutt for me, Doc.
Dr. Hitmore: If no one else has any preferences, I will distribute the rest of the dolls. Here, Mr. Bay, you get Mr. Bartlett. Mr. Lowrie, you get Mr. Jeter. Mr. Ellsbury, I have Mr. Upton for you. Mr. Drew, please take Mr. Swisher. Mr. Green, meet Mr. Pena. Mr. Baldelli, you get Mr. Matsui. Mr. Kottaras, you have Mr. Posada. Now, gentlemen, when I light this pile of refuse on fire, you will begin punishing your voodoo dolls. You may throw them down, step on them, shake them, or even throw them onto the fire. This ritual will release the evil spirits that have robbed you of the ability to hit the ball into the gaps and drive in runs. (turns on blowtorch and ignites the pile of bats)
Pedey: Sweet! A bonfire!
Youk: Take this, Joba! (Twists the head off of the Joba Chamberlain voodoo doll and throws it into the fire)
Dr. Hitmore: That's the spirit, Mr. Youkilis!
Tek: (snaps legs off of Carl Crawford doll) Can't run on me now, can ya, pal?
Papi: (twists off Garza's right arm) Now you gotta pitch lefty, man! Ha ha ha!
Kotsay: (to his Evan Longoria doll) You're no Eva, buddy! (Throws him down and steps on him)
Lowell: Nice knowing ya, Tex (chucks Teixeira doll into the fire)
J.D.: Man, this voodoo thing's nuts. See ya, Swish (tosses Swish into the fire).
Pedey: So, what's next, the primal scream?
Dr. Hitmore: Excellent idea, Mr. Pedroia. All the better for banishing the evil spirits. Now, on the count of three, everyone scream at the top of your lungs. Let all that bad energy out so the good energy can come in. One...two...three! (Pandemonium breaks loose as everyone screams and starts throwing things. Pedey raids the bag with the rest of the voodoo dolls and starts hurling them in all directions. Papelbon and the rest of the pitching staff come out of the clubhouse and join in the ruckus.)
Pap: Dude, this is one rockin' party! Anyone up for a jig?
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Red Rover, Red Rover, Send VMart Right Over!
Or anyone who might be able to spark this slumpty-dumpty Red Sox offense down the stretch. The Sox started off the second half by dropping a series to the fourth-place Toronto Blue Jays (yeah, they had to pay the piper and face Halladay for the first time this season, but still...). Youk and Pedey are getting hot, but that's about it. Bay and Drew are hovering on either side of .250, Papi is still a question mark as to whether the version we saw from June up to the break was the real deal or was it the April-May version. Lowell's going to need to be used judiciously to keep his hip from barking, Tek will probably fade in the second half as the workload of catching about 80% of the games takes its toll. Green's defense is better, but the bat's MIA. Ells only played one game this series since he was out with tummy trouble for the first two; hopefully he can continue to hit around .300 and steal more bases in the second half. It remains to be seen what Lowrie will do with the stick, although it was nice to see him go yard yesterday. Too bad it didn't make a difference in the game at that point.
If Toronto was tough, Texas is going to be tougher. Theo Epstein needs to seriously go after Victor Martinez or any sort of consistent hitter with decent pop who has the potential to spark this too-often lethargic offense. VMart can also catch and he can give Tek a break, as well as Lowell and Youk, by backing up first. He may be slumping a bit now too, but a change of scenery and a chance to play on a team that has a much better shot at playing in October should recharge that bat. There are a couple of other good bats out there, but I think VMart would be the best fit, as far as insurance for two aging starters, one or both of whom may need a good bit more rest in the second half than they got in the first.
In the meantime, the Sox need to step up their offensive game. Bay needs to get the average up and the Ks down. The same can be said for Drew, with the addition of keeping those second-base ground-outs down in his case. Papi needs to find his June mojo and Green could stand to improve in the plate discipline department. Maybe a little competition with returning Jed Lowrie (especially if this version of Lowrie can hit a few more dingers like the one he hit yesterday) will get Greenie back on track.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!! STEP IT UP AND BEAT THOSE RANGERS!!!!!
If Toronto was tough, Texas is going to be tougher. Theo Epstein needs to seriously go after Victor Martinez or any sort of consistent hitter with decent pop who has the potential to spark this too-often lethargic offense. VMart can also catch and he can give Tek a break, as well as Lowell and Youk, by backing up first. He may be slumping a bit now too, but a change of scenery and a chance to play on a team that has a much better shot at playing in October should recharge that bat. There are a couple of other good bats out there, but I think VMart would be the best fit, as far as insurance for two aging starters, one or both of whom may need a good bit more rest in the second half than they got in the first.
In the meantime, the Sox need to step up their offensive game. Bay needs to get the average up and the Ks down. The same can be said for Drew, with the addition of keeping those second-base ground-outs down in his case. Papi needs to find his June mojo and Green could stand to improve in the plate discipline department. Maybe a little competition with returning Jed Lowrie (especially if this version of Lowrie can hit a few more dingers like the one he hit yesterday) will get Greenie back on track.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!! STEP IT UP AND BEAT THOSE RANGERS!!!!!
Monday, July 13, 2009
My Mid Season Red Sox Report Card
Here are my grades for the team as they head into the second half of the season:
Position Players
Jason Varitek, C: B Tek has had a nice rebound season offensively and while his average will most likely remain between .225 and .250, he's showing more power at this point in the season than he did a year ago. He has trouble throwing out baserunners, which is part of the reason why the Sox have been struggling against running teams like the Angels and the Rays, but part of controlling the running game lies with the pitcher, so he's not entirely to blame in this.
George Kottaras, C: C Kottaras has done a good job catching Wake, which is his primary job on the team. However, he hasn't been as effective in catching some of the other pitchers on the staff. The pitchers not named Tim Wakefield seem to do better when Tek's on the mound. It could be that he doesn't have to do as much setting up for Wake since you really can't set up much for a knuckler. The batting average is on the low side, but he only bats every five starts.
Kevin Youkilis, 1B/3B: A- Youk was on fire to start the season, batting over .400 out of the cleanup spot and knocking a bunch of dingers to boot. He got injured in mid-May and he's tailed off some since then, entering the month of July in Slump City. He started to pick things up at the end of the homestand and hopefully this will carry through to the second half. Defensively, he has no problem toggling on the diamond between first and third.
Dustin Pedroia, 2B: A- Pedey's having another Pedey-esque season, albeit with a bit less pop than last year. Like Youk, he slogged through a recent slump, but his bat's been burning lately.
Nick Green, SS: C+ For a guy I'd never heard of before this season, Green has certainly made an impression on the Red Sox. When Lowrie and Lugo were both on the DL, Green stepped in and got the job done. There were some defensive hiccups, that's for sure, but his D has improved and he has (per Mike Lowell) a bazooka for an arm. Though he's had some clutch hits, his plate discipline could use some work.
Mike Lowell, 3B: B- Mikey was a big question mark at the outset of the season after needing major hip surgery last October. He brought the power for the first three months of the season (especially in April and May), but his defensive range and running ability were compromised by the still-healing hip. One problematic trend that developed because of his reduced speed (not that he was ever fleet of foot to begin with) was the penchant for hitting into double-plays. There was virtually no chance he could beat one out, so any sharply-hit ball to an infielder was an automatic GIDP for him. That said, I am hoping Mikey comes back feeling strong for the second half because he can bang out those four-baggers and knock in runs with the best of 'em.
J.D. Drew, RF: B+ J.D. is a guy who goes about his business in a quiet, understated way and he's doing a fine job as the Sox right fielder. He works counts and gets on base at a clip which recently earned him a spot as the leadoff hitter while Jacoby Ellsbury has been moved down in the lineup. As a consequence of his work-the-count philosophy, he strikes out a lot, often looking. Perhaps he could stand to be a little more aggressive, but he does his job in getting on base and he'll knock some dingers too. His D is strong and so far this season he's been healthy (knock on wood).
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF: A- Jacoby's been quietly consistent this season and his OBP's improving. He's batting just under .300 and playing nice D in centerfield. And boy, can he burn up those basepaths! He has 40 stolen bases so far this season and if he can keep getting on base, he has a chance to reach 70 or 80. Having a full major league season under his belt, he's having a much better season this year than last.
Jason Bay, LF: A It's kinda hard to critique the guy who leads the team in home runs and leads the league in RBI, but if there's one thing J-Bay can improve upon in the second half is to get the batting average up a little (at least to his .280 career norm) and the strikeouts down a little. I've heard comments on other blogs that his D left a bit to be desired, but in comparison to his predecessor, that dude now occupying left field in LA, who just came off a 50-game drug suspension, J-Bay's glove work clearly comes out on top.
David Ortiz, DH: C This was a tough one. Big Papi has turned his season around so well since the beginning of June that he's starting to look like the Papi of legend again. However, his abysmal April and May cannot be overlooked. Some may think this grade is too high, given how deep his slump was at the beginning of the season, and some may think it's too low, given how remarkably he's turned it all around. However, I think this is a fair grade, taking both his struggles and his improvement into account.
Mark Kotsay, 1B/OF: B+ Kotsay was out for the first two months of the season after having back surgery in January, then hurting his calf while on a rehab assignment. Since he's been back, he's been playing a solid 1B and getting his hits. Not much pop to his bat, but he's never really been a power guy.
Rocco Baldelli, OF: B He's doing the job he was brought aboard to do, which is to be the fourth outfielder and to hit lefties, which he does very well. His grade would be a little higher if he could hit a better against righties, since he may one day need to spell an outfielder against a RHP.
Julio Lugo, SS: D "D" in this case may as well mean lack thereof. Poor defense, compromised even further by recovery from knee surgery, has plagued Lugo since returning from the DL in mid-April and it has cost him his job as the starting shortstop. His bat is very streaky; he's either on fire or in the subzero, with very little middle ground. Of course, limited at-bats due to being a defensive liability don't help in that matter.
Jeff Bailey, 1B: C Bailey filled in at first when Youk went down with an injury in May and Kotsay was still on the DL. His bat has some pop, but the average (at least at the major league level) was kinda brutal. The D was adequate for the most part, but a definite downgrade from Kotsay and, of course, Youk.
Jed Lowrie, Jonathan Van Every, Aaron Bates, Chris Carter: Incomplete Sample size too small to grade these guys.
Pitchers
Josh Beckett, SP: A- April was the cruelest month for Beckett, but since then, he's returned to his 2007 form and that's great to see. He comes into the All-Star Break with an 11-3 record and a 3.35 ERA and was chosen as a member of the 2009 All-Star team. He has thrown two shutouts this season and, after a rough year last year, he has reclaimed his role as the staff ace.
Commander Kick-Ass is back!
Jon Lester, SP: B+ Lester struggled with the yips a little longer than Beckett, but he's turned it around in a big way, too. He is second in the league in strikeouts, trailing only Justin Verlander of the Tigers and he has become the lefty ace of the Red Sox staff. He had four consecutive starts where he struck out 10 or more batters. The 12 K game in Toronto could be called the turning point to his season. Before that, he would be plagued by that "one bad inning", where everything would unravel. Since taming the Jays at the Rogers Center, however, he seems to have returned to his 2008 form.
Tim Wakefield, SP: A- His ERA is higher than Jon Lester's, but his consistent performance on the mound from the beginning of the season through the break earns him the slightly higher mark. Wake was the rock of the rotation when everyone else was falling apart in the early weeks of the season. The 42-year-old knuckleballer and the guy who's been wearing the Sox uni the longest of any of the current team members was the unlikely ace in April. His bread-and-butter pitch has a mind of its own and when it's at its best, the knuckler baffles the best bats in baseball.
Brad Penny, SP: B- He was pretty scary to watch his first few starts as a Red Sox. The ERA was sky-high and the fans' confidence in him was sinking faster than the economy did last fall. The bats and the bullpen helped him avoid some Ls on the record during some of those starts and eventually, he settled down and turned into a solid #5 starter who gave his team a chance to win most of the time. It would be nice if he could go beyond 5 or 6 innings, however, and take some of the burden off the bullpen.
Daisuke Matsuzaka, SP: F I don't like to give out failing grades to anyone on my favorite team, but Dice-K has been lost all season. His ERA is a dismal 8.23 and after one DL stint didn't do the trick, he was placed on the DL again and is rehabbing in Florida as we speak. The WBC forced him to amp up his training a lot earlier than is healthy for a major league pitcher and resulted in his arm and shoulder fatigue and inability to pitch effectively this season. The Red Sox organization had little control over his workouts for the WBC in Japan, so now they have to essentially start from scratch with him down in Florida. If all goes well, he could be back in late August or September, but will there be room for him in the rotation at that time?
Justin Masterson, SP/RP: C Masterson filled in as a starter during Dice-K's first DL stint and had a good first couple of starts, but it seemed to go downhill from there for him in that role. His trouble getting lefties out would snowball the second and third times through the lineup. When Dice-K returned, Masterson went back to the bullpen and did very well there for awhile, but lately he, along with the rest of the pen, have hit the skids. Let's hope it's just a temporary bump in the road for such a talented group of arms, including the young Masterson.
Manny Delcarmen, RP: B- MDC, like the rest of the Sox bullpen, started the season lights-out. The pen was leaned on heavily in the early months of the season and the wear and tear is showing now, especially with MDC, who has battled inconsistency in the past. In recent outings, he's had trouble recording that third out of the inning and leaving messes behind for his teammates to clean up. Unfortunately, his teammates are just as overworked as he is and that has lead to some nuclear bullpen incidents of late.
Ramon Ramirez, RP: B This guy, traded to the Sox from the Royals for Coco Crisp, was Superman in the bullpen for the better part of the first half. Now, we're seeing more of Clark Kent, or is it the kryptonite known as overwork?
Hideki Okajima, RP: B Oki was giving us a 2007 nostalgia tour for the bulk of the first half and making us forget how he struggled last year. However, he too has become mortal after being leaned on heavily in April, May, and June.
Takashi Saito, RP: C Saito's worst enemy is the long ball, maybe more so than any of the other relievers on the team. He has also been getting a little walky on them lately. However, he has had some very strong outings to go along with the weaker ones and, although they've been careful not to overwork him, his age could be catching up to his arm and maybe his shoulder's staring to bark a little.
Daniel Bard, RP: B+ When Javier Lopez could no longer get anyone out, it came time to give rookie Daniel Bard a chance. So far, he has done pretty well in his time with the big club. His fastball can reach over 100 mph and he can reach 97-98 on a regular basis. He got handed his lunch in Philly, but to be fair, he was used in all three games, so the Phillies had enough time to figure him out. He's been the one guy to put out the fire in some of the recent bullpen implosions, including the ones against the Royals this past weekend. Of all the relievers, he's had the least wear and tear, something Sox management is very careful about. He was also still in Pawtucket for the earliest weeks of the season, when the 'pen seemed to pitch more innings than the starters.
Jonathan Papelbon, RP/CL: A- His outings are rarely easy 1-2-3 affairs lately, but he still gets the job done. I was tempted to bump him down to a B+ just for the toll he can take on my nerves in the ninth inning, but he has converted all but two of his save opportunities and has an ERA under 2. What team wouldn't want a closer with those numbers? Still, let's have some more drama-free innings. One Dice-K on the team is enough!
Javier Lopez, RP: F Javy struggled from the very start of the season and never could find his rhythm (or get anybody out, for that matter). I'm sorry to see things not work out for him this season because he seemed like a nice guy and he grew up in Northern, VA, my neck of the woods (Dang! I feel terrible about giving a local guy an F, but I have to be honest, just like with Dice-K). After being DFA'ed in May, he accepted a minor league deal and is now pitching in Pawtucket. I hope he can find his pitching mojo again.
Well, there you have it! As a team, I'd give the Red Sox an A- for the season so far. There have been ups and downs, but such is the nature of the beast known as a 162 game long season. The offense could use a little more pop, some of the starters could go a little deeper into games, and the 'pen needs to get back on track, but they are in first place in the AL East by three games and have the second-best record in baseball. One has to wonder how Dodgers, who have the best record, would fare if they played in a division as tough as the AL East (or if they played in the AL, period)
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!! GOOD LUCK RED SOX ALL-STARS!!! KICK SOME NL BUTT!!!!
Position Players
Jason Varitek, C: B Tek has had a nice rebound season offensively and while his average will most likely remain between .225 and .250, he's showing more power at this point in the season than he did a year ago. He has trouble throwing out baserunners, which is part of the reason why the Sox have been struggling against running teams like the Angels and the Rays, but part of controlling the running game lies with the pitcher, so he's not entirely to blame in this.
George Kottaras, C: C Kottaras has done a good job catching Wake, which is his primary job on the team. However, he hasn't been as effective in catching some of the other pitchers on the staff. The pitchers not named Tim Wakefield seem to do better when Tek's on the mound. It could be that he doesn't have to do as much setting up for Wake since you really can't set up much for a knuckler. The batting average is on the low side, but he only bats every five starts.
Kevin Youkilis, 1B/3B: A- Youk was on fire to start the season, batting over .400 out of the cleanup spot and knocking a bunch of dingers to boot. He got injured in mid-May and he's tailed off some since then, entering the month of July in Slump City. He started to pick things up at the end of the homestand and hopefully this will carry through to the second half. Defensively, he has no problem toggling on the diamond between first and third.
Dustin Pedroia, 2B: A- Pedey's having another Pedey-esque season, albeit with a bit less pop than last year. Like Youk, he slogged through a recent slump, but his bat's been burning lately.
Nick Green, SS: C+ For a guy I'd never heard of before this season, Green has certainly made an impression on the Red Sox. When Lowrie and Lugo were both on the DL, Green stepped in and got the job done. There were some defensive hiccups, that's for sure, but his D has improved and he has (per Mike Lowell) a bazooka for an arm. Though he's had some clutch hits, his plate discipline could use some work.
Mike Lowell, 3B: B- Mikey was a big question mark at the outset of the season after needing major hip surgery last October. He brought the power for the first three months of the season (especially in April and May), but his defensive range and running ability were compromised by the still-healing hip. One problematic trend that developed because of his reduced speed (not that he was ever fleet of foot to begin with) was the penchant for hitting into double-plays. There was virtually no chance he could beat one out, so any sharply-hit ball to an infielder was an automatic GIDP for him. That said, I am hoping Mikey comes back feeling strong for the second half because he can bang out those four-baggers and knock in runs with the best of 'em.
J.D. Drew, RF: B+ J.D. is a guy who goes about his business in a quiet, understated way and he's doing a fine job as the Sox right fielder. He works counts and gets on base at a clip which recently earned him a spot as the leadoff hitter while Jacoby Ellsbury has been moved down in the lineup. As a consequence of his work-the-count philosophy, he strikes out a lot, often looking. Perhaps he could stand to be a little more aggressive, but he does his job in getting on base and he'll knock some dingers too. His D is strong and so far this season he's been healthy (knock on wood).
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF: A- Jacoby's been quietly consistent this season and his OBP's improving. He's batting just under .300 and playing nice D in centerfield. And boy, can he burn up those basepaths! He has 40 stolen bases so far this season and if he can keep getting on base, he has a chance to reach 70 or 80. Having a full major league season under his belt, he's having a much better season this year than last.
Jason Bay, LF: A It's kinda hard to critique the guy who leads the team in home runs and leads the league in RBI, but if there's one thing J-Bay can improve upon in the second half is to get the batting average up a little (at least to his .280 career norm) and the strikeouts down a little. I've heard comments on other blogs that his D left a bit to be desired, but in comparison to his predecessor, that dude now occupying left field in LA, who just came off a 50-game drug suspension, J-Bay's glove work clearly comes out on top.
David Ortiz, DH: C This was a tough one. Big Papi has turned his season around so well since the beginning of June that he's starting to look like the Papi of legend again. However, his abysmal April and May cannot be overlooked. Some may think this grade is too high, given how deep his slump was at the beginning of the season, and some may think it's too low, given how remarkably he's turned it all around. However, I think this is a fair grade, taking both his struggles and his improvement into account.
Mark Kotsay, 1B/OF: B+ Kotsay was out for the first two months of the season after having back surgery in January, then hurting his calf while on a rehab assignment. Since he's been back, he's been playing a solid 1B and getting his hits. Not much pop to his bat, but he's never really been a power guy.
Rocco Baldelli, OF: B He's doing the job he was brought aboard to do, which is to be the fourth outfielder and to hit lefties, which he does very well. His grade would be a little higher if he could hit a better against righties, since he may one day need to spell an outfielder against a RHP.
Julio Lugo, SS: D "D" in this case may as well mean lack thereof. Poor defense, compromised even further by recovery from knee surgery, has plagued Lugo since returning from the DL in mid-April and it has cost him his job as the starting shortstop. His bat is very streaky; he's either on fire or in the subzero, with very little middle ground. Of course, limited at-bats due to being a defensive liability don't help in that matter.
Jeff Bailey, 1B: C Bailey filled in at first when Youk went down with an injury in May and Kotsay was still on the DL. His bat has some pop, but the average (at least at the major league level) was kinda brutal. The D was adequate for the most part, but a definite downgrade from Kotsay and, of course, Youk.
Jed Lowrie, Jonathan Van Every, Aaron Bates, Chris Carter: Incomplete Sample size too small to grade these guys.
Pitchers
Josh Beckett, SP: A- April was the cruelest month for Beckett, but since then, he's returned to his 2007 form and that's great to see. He comes into the All-Star Break with an 11-3 record and a 3.35 ERA and was chosen as a member of the 2009 All-Star team. He has thrown two shutouts this season and, after a rough year last year, he has reclaimed his role as the staff ace.
Commander Kick-Ass is back!
Jon Lester, SP: B+ Lester struggled with the yips a little longer than Beckett, but he's turned it around in a big way, too. He is second in the league in strikeouts, trailing only Justin Verlander of the Tigers and he has become the lefty ace of the Red Sox staff. He had four consecutive starts where he struck out 10 or more batters. The 12 K game in Toronto could be called the turning point to his season. Before that, he would be plagued by that "one bad inning", where everything would unravel. Since taming the Jays at the Rogers Center, however, he seems to have returned to his 2008 form.
Tim Wakefield, SP: A- His ERA is higher than Jon Lester's, but his consistent performance on the mound from the beginning of the season through the break earns him the slightly higher mark. Wake was the rock of the rotation when everyone else was falling apart in the early weeks of the season. The 42-year-old knuckleballer and the guy who's been wearing the Sox uni the longest of any of the current team members was the unlikely ace in April. His bread-and-butter pitch has a mind of its own and when it's at its best, the knuckler baffles the best bats in baseball.
Brad Penny, SP: B- He was pretty scary to watch his first few starts as a Red Sox. The ERA was sky-high and the fans' confidence in him was sinking faster than the economy did last fall. The bats and the bullpen helped him avoid some Ls on the record during some of those starts and eventually, he settled down and turned into a solid #5 starter who gave his team a chance to win most of the time. It would be nice if he could go beyond 5 or 6 innings, however, and take some of the burden off the bullpen.
Daisuke Matsuzaka, SP: F I don't like to give out failing grades to anyone on my favorite team, but Dice-K has been lost all season. His ERA is a dismal 8.23 and after one DL stint didn't do the trick, he was placed on the DL again and is rehabbing in Florida as we speak. The WBC forced him to amp up his training a lot earlier than is healthy for a major league pitcher and resulted in his arm and shoulder fatigue and inability to pitch effectively this season. The Red Sox organization had little control over his workouts for the WBC in Japan, so now they have to essentially start from scratch with him down in Florida. If all goes well, he could be back in late August or September, but will there be room for him in the rotation at that time?
Justin Masterson, SP/RP: C Masterson filled in as a starter during Dice-K's first DL stint and had a good first couple of starts, but it seemed to go downhill from there for him in that role. His trouble getting lefties out would snowball the second and third times through the lineup. When Dice-K returned, Masterson went back to the bullpen and did very well there for awhile, but lately he, along with the rest of the pen, have hit the skids. Let's hope it's just a temporary bump in the road for such a talented group of arms, including the young Masterson.
Manny Delcarmen, RP: B- MDC, like the rest of the Sox bullpen, started the season lights-out. The pen was leaned on heavily in the early months of the season and the wear and tear is showing now, especially with MDC, who has battled inconsistency in the past. In recent outings, he's had trouble recording that third out of the inning and leaving messes behind for his teammates to clean up. Unfortunately, his teammates are just as overworked as he is and that has lead to some nuclear bullpen incidents of late.
Ramon Ramirez, RP: B This guy, traded to the Sox from the Royals for Coco Crisp, was Superman in the bullpen for the better part of the first half. Now, we're seeing more of Clark Kent, or is it the kryptonite known as overwork?
Hideki Okajima, RP: B Oki was giving us a 2007 nostalgia tour for the bulk of the first half and making us forget how he struggled last year. However, he too has become mortal after being leaned on heavily in April, May, and June.
Takashi Saito, RP: C Saito's worst enemy is the long ball, maybe more so than any of the other relievers on the team. He has also been getting a little walky on them lately. However, he has had some very strong outings to go along with the weaker ones and, although they've been careful not to overwork him, his age could be catching up to his arm and maybe his shoulder's staring to bark a little.
Daniel Bard, RP: B+ When Javier Lopez could no longer get anyone out, it came time to give rookie Daniel Bard a chance. So far, he has done pretty well in his time with the big club. His fastball can reach over 100 mph and he can reach 97-98 on a regular basis. He got handed his lunch in Philly, but to be fair, he was used in all three games, so the Phillies had enough time to figure him out. He's been the one guy to put out the fire in some of the recent bullpen implosions, including the ones against the Royals this past weekend. Of all the relievers, he's had the least wear and tear, something Sox management is very careful about. He was also still in Pawtucket for the earliest weeks of the season, when the 'pen seemed to pitch more innings than the starters.
Jonathan Papelbon, RP/CL: A- His outings are rarely easy 1-2-3 affairs lately, but he still gets the job done. I was tempted to bump him down to a B+ just for the toll he can take on my nerves in the ninth inning, but he has converted all but two of his save opportunities and has an ERA under 2. What team wouldn't want a closer with those numbers? Still, let's have some more drama-free innings. One Dice-K on the team is enough!
Javier Lopez, RP: F Javy struggled from the very start of the season and never could find his rhythm (or get anybody out, for that matter). I'm sorry to see things not work out for him this season because he seemed like a nice guy and he grew up in Northern, VA, my neck of the woods (Dang! I feel terrible about giving a local guy an F, but I have to be honest, just like with Dice-K). After being DFA'ed in May, he accepted a minor league deal and is now pitching in Pawtucket. I hope he can find his pitching mojo again.
Well, there you have it! As a team, I'd give the Red Sox an A- for the season so far. There have been ups and downs, but such is the nature of the beast known as a 162 game long season. The offense could use a little more pop, some of the starters could go a little deeper into games, and the 'pen needs to get back on track, but they are in first place in the AL East by three games and have the second-best record in baseball. One has to wonder how Dodgers, who have the best record, would fare if they played in a division as tough as the AL East (or if they played in the AL, period)
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!! GOOD LUCK RED SOX ALL-STARS!!! KICK SOME NL BUTT!!!!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Pair of Aces
Sox: 6 Royals: 8
Sox: 1 Royals: 0
Sox: 15 Royals: 9
Sox: 6 Royals: 0
Sorry for no A's series blog. Just call it a little "blogging slump". Pretty bizarre series against the boys in blue, no? Two shutouts by the two Sox aces and two five-inning starts followed by some bullpen batting practice. On Thursday night, the bullpenitis was limited to the Sox side, with a 5-3 lead evaporating once Penny left the game after five and Delcarmen, Masterson, and Ramirez letting the Royals have too much fun in the later innings. Meanwhile, the Sox could not score enough runs to offset the bullpen damage and fell to the AL Central's fourth place team in the series opener.
Friday night marked Jon Lester's first start against the Royals since that night in May of last year when he no-hit them, becoming the first Red Sox lefty in over a half century to spin a no-no. While he didn't repeat the feat, he pitched a helluva game, throwing zeros on the board for eight innings and allowing only four hits. Pap completed the shutout with a nice, blood pressure-stabilizing 1-2-3 ninth.
Saturday night was right for slugging, in an outing reminiscent of another Saturday night game this season, the one in April against the Yanks in which the Sox outslugged the Bronx Boys 16-11. This time, without a storied rivalry serving as a backdrop, the home town team out-slugged the Blue Man Group 15-9. Lost in the slugfest was a solid, if a little shorter than desired, outing from John Smoltz, in which he gave up a lone run over five innings. Because his pitch count was closing in on 100 and it was only his fourth start back, Smoltzy was pulled for another ride on the bullpen-go-round. This time, both bullpens were out to lunch (or, given the game time, a late dinner) and the Sox bats and the Royals bats went to town. Fortunately for Smoltz and the Red Sox, they had built up a big enough lead that they never fell behind and ended up winning by a 6-run margin. After it was all over and the rain was falling in sheets from the sky above Fenway, Smoltz got his first victory as a Red Sox and rookie Daniel Bard proved to be the least affected by the bullpen bug.
Today's game featured Josh Beckett, a.k.a. Commander Kick-Ass on the mound for the Sox and for the Royals, a bunch of guys who got lost on their way to the strike zone. Journeyman Bruce Chen started out, going 3 innings, giving up 3 runs walking 3. From there on out, it was a parade of relievers and the Royals pitching staff gave up a grand total of 9 walks. Jason Bay went through an entire game without an official at-bat. He walked three times and got plunked twice. He saw maybe two strikes all afternoon. They just plain didn't give him anything to hit! Papi was neutralized for most of the game, whiffing three times for a hat trick, but doubled in the eighth to drive in the sixth run of the game. Meanwhile, Beckett needed only 94 pitches over a complete game to shut out the Kansas City nine for the second time in the series. He allowed 3 hits, walked no one, hit one batter, and fanned 7.
Due to the Angels giving the Sox and their fans a helping hand by sweeping the Yanks, the Sox head into the All-Star break with a 3-game lead. Despite some bumps, lumps, and slumps, the homestand ended up a successful 6-4. Dropping the first series to the Mariners hurt, but the Sox rebounded to take the next two series and end the first half on a high note.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Dustin Pedroia and his wife, Kelli. Kelli was hospitalized last Monday after going into premature labor. Their baby is not due until the end of August and the longer the labor can be held off, the better chance the baby has of being born healthy. Pedey has chosen to skip the All-Star game in order to be with Kelli, as she is still in the hospital. He credits Tito for helping him make this difficult decision and, in my book, he made the right one.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Sox: 1 Royals: 0
Sox: 15 Royals: 9
Sox: 6 Royals: 0
Sorry for no A's series blog. Just call it a little "blogging slump". Pretty bizarre series against the boys in blue, no? Two shutouts by the two Sox aces and two five-inning starts followed by some bullpen batting practice. On Thursday night, the bullpenitis was limited to the Sox side, with a 5-3 lead evaporating once Penny left the game after five and Delcarmen, Masterson, and Ramirez letting the Royals have too much fun in the later innings. Meanwhile, the Sox could not score enough runs to offset the bullpen damage and fell to the AL Central's fourth place team in the series opener.
Friday night marked Jon Lester's first start against the Royals since that night in May of last year when he no-hit them, becoming the first Red Sox lefty in over a half century to spin a no-no. While he didn't repeat the feat, he pitched a helluva game, throwing zeros on the board for eight innings and allowing only four hits. Pap completed the shutout with a nice, blood pressure-stabilizing 1-2-3 ninth.
Saturday night was right for slugging, in an outing reminiscent of another Saturday night game this season, the one in April against the Yanks in which the Sox outslugged the Bronx Boys 16-11. This time, without a storied rivalry serving as a backdrop, the home town team out-slugged the Blue Man Group 15-9. Lost in the slugfest was a solid, if a little shorter than desired, outing from John Smoltz, in which he gave up a lone run over five innings. Because his pitch count was closing in on 100 and it was only his fourth start back, Smoltzy was pulled for another ride on the bullpen-go-round. This time, both bullpens were out to lunch (or, given the game time, a late dinner) and the Sox bats and the Royals bats went to town. Fortunately for Smoltz and the Red Sox, they had built up a big enough lead that they never fell behind and ended up winning by a 6-run margin. After it was all over and the rain was falling in sheets from the sky above Fenway, Smoltz got his first victory as a Red Sox and rookie Daniel Bard proved to be the least affected by the bullpen bug.
Today's game featured Josh Beckett, a.k.a. Commander Kick-Ass on the mound for the Sox and for the Royals, a bunch of guys who got lost on their way to the strike zone. Journeyman Bruce Chen started out, going 3 innings, giving up 3 runs walking 3. From there on out, it was a parade of relievers and the Royals pitching staff gave up a grand total of 9 walks. Jason Bay went through an entire game without an official at-bat. He walked three times and got plunked twice. He saw maybe two strikes all afternoon. They just plain didn't give him anything to hit! Papi was neutralized for most of the game, whiffing three times for a hat trick, but doubled in the eighth to drive in the sixth run of the game. Meanwhile, Beckett needed only 94 pitches over a complete game to shut out the Kansas City nine for the second time in the series. He allowed 3 hits, walked no one, hit one batter, and fanned 7.
Due to the Angels giving the Sox and their fans a helping hand by sweeping the Yanks, the Sox head into the All-Star break with a 3-game lead. Despite some bumps, lumps, and slumps, the homestand ended up a successful 6-4. Dropping the first series to the Mariners hurt, but the Sox rebounded to take the next two series and end the first half on a high note.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Dustin Pedroia and his wife, Kelli. Kelli was hospitalized last Monday after going into premature labor. Their baby is not due until the end of August and the longer the labor can be held off, the better chance the baby has of being born healthy. Pedey has chosen to skip the All-Star game in order to be with Kelli, as she is still in the hospital. He credits Tito for helping him make this difficult decision and, in my book, he made the right one.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Saving Face in the Seventh
Sox: 6 Ms: 7
Sox: 2 Ms: 3
Sox: 8 Ms: 4
Going into the seventh inning of yesterday's game, the Sox were in danger of *gulp* being swept by the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park. Yes, you heard that right: SWEPT BY THE MARINERS AT FENWAY! It was a frustrating series for the Sox, who, until the last three innings of the finale, could not get the big hit they needed to put them over the top.
Though they managed a few runs off of "King" Felix on Friday night and then added some more off the Mariners' pen, it wasn't enough to trump the seven runs allowed by Sox pitching (Wake with five and RamRam with two). The game went into extras with the Sox losing when Ramirez gave up a two-run single (or was it a double?) in the top of the eleventh.
Saturday, Penny did his part to keep the Sox in the game, but the bats and Takashi Saito fell short. This was a game I could not see due to the absurd FOX rules that block out-of-market fans from seeing their teams' Saturday day games, even if FOX is not showing those games on TV. It was one that would have been frustrating to watch, had I been able to see it.
Sunday's game looked as if it were a repeat of Saturday's offensive shortfall until the Sox got the best of the Seattle bullpen in the seventh. They had managed three solo dingers off of starter Brandon Morrow (Pedey's third of the year, Papi's ninth two batters later, and Jacoby's fifth homer in the sixth inning), but they went to town on Miguel Batista and Mark Lowe, the latter of whom was doing his best Saito impression from Saturday's game. Papi tied the game with a bases-loaded RBI single. Jacoby walked in the winning run. Pedey knocked in two more and then scored on a passed ball. The Sox held on to that lead and won 8-4
Tonight, Nomar, or as they say his name in Boston, Nomaaaaah, returns to Fenway for the first time since he was traded five years ago. Smoltzy makes his Fenway debut. Aaron Bates, called up today to replace the injured Jeff Bailey, makes his major league debut, playing first and batting ninth. Looks to be an exciting game.
Congrats to the six Red Sox All-Stars: Bay and Pedey, who got in via Fan Vote, Beckett and Pap, via Player Vote, and Youk and Wake, who were picked by AL manager Joe Maddon. Props to Maddon for selecting Wake. He certainly deserved it, both for what he has done so far this year and what he has done for Red Sox and, arguably for baseball as a whole. He is the ultimate team player and an athlete who carries himself with professionalism and dignity on and off the field. He represents his sport well in an era where there is a lot of cynicism toward baseball players and pro athletes in general. As a Red Sox fan and as a baseball fan, I couldn't he prouder that he's representing the team at the All-Star Game.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Sox: 2 Ms: 3
Sox: 8 Ms: 4
Going into the seventh inning of yesterday's game, the Sox were in danger of *gulp* being swept by the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park. Yes, you heard that right: SWEPT BY THE MARINERS AT FENWAY! It was a frustrating series for the Sox, who, until the last three innings of the finale, could not get the big hit they needed to put them over the top.
Though they managed a few runs off of "King" Felix on Friday night and then added some more off the Mariners' pen, it wasn't enough to trump the seven runs allowed by Sox pitching (Wake with five and RamRam with two). The game went into extras with the Sox losing when Ramirez gave up a two-run single (or was it a double?) in the top of the eleventh.
Saturday, Penny did his part to keep the Sox in the game, but the bats and Takashi Saito fell short. This was a game I could not see due to the absurd FOX rules that block out-of-market fans from seeing their teams' Saturday day games, even if FOX is not showing those games on TV. It was one that would have been frustrating to watch, had I been able to see it.
Sunday's game looked as if it were a repeat of Saturday's offensive shortfall until the Sox got the best of the Seattle bullpen in the seventh. They had managed three solo dingers off of starter Brandon Morrow (Pedey's third of the year, Papi's ninth two batters later, and Jacoby's fifth homer in the sixth inning), but they went to town on Miguel Batista and Mark Lowe, the latter of whom was doing his best Saito impression from Saturday's game. Papi tied the game with a bases-loaded RBI single. Jacoby walked in the winning run. Pedey knocked in two more and then scored on a passed ball. The Sox held on to that lead and won 8-4
Tonight, Nomar, or as they say his name in Boston, Nomaaaaah, returns to Fenway for the first time since he was traded five years ago. Smoltzy makes his Fenway debut. Aaron Bates, called up today to replace the injured Jeff Bailey, makes his major league debut, playing first and batting ninth. Looks to be an exciting game.
Congrats to the six Red Sox All-Stars: Bay and Pedey, who got in via Fan Vote, Beckett and Pap, via Player Vote, and Youk and Wake, who were picked by AL manager Joe Maddon. Props to Maddon for selecting Wake. He certainly deserved it, both for what he has done so far this year and what he has done for Red Sox and, arguably for baseball as a whole. He is the ultimate team player and an athlete who carries himself with professionalism and dignity on and off the field. He represents his sport well in an era where there is a lot of cynicism toward baseball players and pro athletes in general. As a Red Sox fan and as a baseball fan, I couldn't he prouder that he's representing the team at the All-Star Game.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
A Bizarre Story With A Happy Ending
Sox: 4 O's: 0
Sox:10 O's: 11
Sox: 6 O's: 5
Last night's game was a giant, hulking disaster of a debacle of a catastrophe. It was the kind of game that could have sent the team reeling, demoralizing them into dropping the series. But, drop the series they didn't, despite the dismal first eight innings of this afternoon's game--they came back in the ninth to tie and in the eleventh to win it, showing that two can play the comeback game.
Before we get into last night's calamity, let's start at the beginning. Lester once again shows ownership of the 0's by blanking them over seven frames. The pen holds the lead and Paps gets a one-out save when he comes in with the tying run at the plate. With that save, he tied Bob Stanley's record of saves with the Red Sox. Drew comes a double short of the cycle and Lester gets his seventh W of the season.
With all that happened last night, Smoltz's strong pre-rain delay four innings got lost in the events that followed. Had Mother Nature not intervened, he could have gone possibly two more innings and, had they gone as well as the first four, picked up his first win as a Red Sox. A 1 hr 10 minute rain delay kept Smoltz in the dugout for the rest of the game, as they didn't want to risk re-injuring his shoulder by getting him warmed up again to resume pitching after the delay. The line on Smoltz: 4 IP, 3 H 1 R 1 BB 2 K
Masterson came on after the tarp was taken off the field and threw two dominant innings, striking out five of the six batters he faced. When he came out for the seventh inning, however, he was a completely different pitcher. He went from lights-out to throwing batting practice. Part of that could be due to Francona lifting Tek in favor of Kottaras, changing catchers on his young pitcher midstream and part of it could be due to Masterson being further removed from the earlier weeks in the season where he was in the starting rotation and not stretched out enough to go three innings.
After Masterson lit the match and stoked the flames, seemingly unable to record an out and allowing four runs, including a 3-run bomb by pinch hitter Oscar Salazar, the skipper sent Manny Delcarmen in to try to put out the fire. He gets two outs, but allows another hit, which scores a runner he inherited from Masterson. Tito gets nervous and pulls MDC in favor of Oki. Oki gets the third out and it looks for the moment like the fire has been put out, at least for that inning.
One inning later, the embers are still burning as Oki comes back on the mound for what the Sox hoped would be a clean inning to keep the score at 10-6. No such luck, as Oki apparently came to the mound with gasoline in tow and promptly poured it on the embers and the fire raged once again. Oki allows five hits, only recording one out. Saito comes in with his own can of gasoline and allows another hit and another inherited runner scores. He records the second out. Fire still raging, Pap comes in to try to get a four-out save. More gas on the fire, in the form of a two-run double and the second blown save of the season for the closer.
In just two innings, the Sox' vaunted bullpen surrenders 10 runs, obliterating a nine-run lead. Perhaps the baseball gods were irked by more than half the team walking off the field with only two outs in the sixth inning. Maybe the Sox infielders (plus Masterson) got a little cocky with such a big lead and they figured they only needed to get two outs to finish off the Birds. Or maybe they just plumb forgot how to count to three. Whatever it was, those were two of the ugliest innings I've ever seen.
Today's game looked like a carryover from last night, with the O's leading the Sox 5-1 going into the ninth. Beckett did not have his A game in the early innings and it appeared he was stricken by the same bizarre bug that ate up the bullpen last night. Later on, he settled down enough to keep the Sox within striking distance. The rally in the ninth started with a 2-run dong by Youk, his second in as many games. After Bay (who collected a Platinum Sombrero for striking out five times) and Ortiz whiffed, Jacoby singled, Bailey and Tek walked to load the bases. Lefty-killer Rocco came on to pinch hit for Nick Green and singled home two runs, tying the game. Two shutout bullpen innings later (ninth belonged to Bard, tenth to Ramirez), Julio Lugo, of all people, knocked the game-winning RBI off Danys Baez. Pap nailed down the save in a redeeming 1-2-3 bottom of the eleventh and the Sox get their revenge for last night.
Having gone 6-3 on the trip and improving their road record to 23-20, the Sox are ready for some home cooking at Fenway. They'll celebrate the holiday weekend by hosting the Mariners. The A's come in next week and then the Royals (sans Coco, whose season is over after being injured last month). After that, the All-Star Break.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!! WAY TO BOUNCE BACK TODAY!!!!
Sox:10 O's: 11
Sox: 6 O's: 5
Last night's game was a giant, hulking disaster of a debacle of a catastrophe. It was the kind of game that could have sent the team reeling, demoralizing them into dropping the series. But, drop the series they didn't, despite the dismal first eight innings of this afternoon's game--they came back in the ninth to tie and in the eleventh to win it, showing that two can play the comeback game.
Before we get into last night's calamity, let's start at the beginning. Lester once again shows ownership of the 0's by blanking them over seven frames. The pen holds the lead and Paps gets a one-out save when he comes in with the tying run at the plate. With that save, he tied Bob Stanley's record of saves with the Red Sox. Drew comes a double short of the cycle and Lester gets his seventh W of the season.
With all that happened last night, Smoltz's strong pre-rain delay four innings got lost in the events that followed. Had Mother Nature not intervened, he could have gone possibly two more innings and, had they gone as well as the first four, picked up his first win as a Red Sox. A 1 hr 10 minute rain delay kept Smoltz in the dugout for the rest of the game, as they didn't want to risk re-injuring his shoulder by getting him warmed up again to resume pitching after the delay. The line on Smoltz: 4 IP, 3 H 1 R 1 BB 2 K
Masterson came on after the tarp was taken off the field and threw two dominant innings, striking out five of the six batters he faced. When he came out for the seventh inning, however, he was a completely different pitcher. He went from lights-out to throwing batting practice. Part of that could be due to Francona lifting Tek in favor of Kottaras, changing catchers on his young pitcher midstream and part of it could be due to Masterson being further removed from the earlier weeks in the season where he was in the starting rotation and not stretched out enough to go three innings.
After Masterson lit the match and stoked the flames, seemingly unable to record an out and allowing four runs, including a 3-run bomb by pinch hitter Oscar Salazar, the skipper sent Manny Delcarmen in to try to put out the fire. He gets two outs, but allows another hit, which scores a runner he inherited from Masterson. Tito gets nervous and pulls MDC in favor of Oki. Oki gets the third out and it looks for the moment like the fire has been put out, at least for that inning.
One inning later, the embers are still burning as Oki comes back on the mound for what the Sox hoped would be a clean inning to keep the score at 10-6. No such luck, as Oki apparently came to the mound with gasoline in tow and promptly poured it on the embers and the fire raged once again. Oki allows five hits, only recording one out. Saito comes in with his own can of gasoline and allows another hit and another inherited runner scores. He records the second out. Fire still raging, Pap comes in to try to get a four-out save. More gas on the fire, in the form of a two-run double and the second blown save of the season for the closer.
In just two innings, the Sox' vaunted bullpen surrenders 10 runs, obliterating a nine-run lead. Perhaps the baseball gods were irked by more than half the team walking off the field with only two outs in the sixth inning. Maybe the Sox infielders (plus Masterson) got a little cocky with such a big lead and they figured they only needed to get two outs to finish off the Birds. Or maybe they just plumb forgot how to count to three. Whatever it was, those were two of the ugliest innings I've ever seen.
Today's game looked like a carryover from last night, with the O's leading the Sox 5-1 going into the ninth. Beckett did not have his A game in the early innings and it appeared he was stricken by the same bizarre bug that ate up the bullpen last night. Later on, he settled down enough to keep the Sox within striking distance. The rally in the ninth started with a 2-run dong by Youk, his second in as many games. After Bay (who collected a Platinum Sombrero for striking out five times) and Ortiz whiffed, Jacoby singled, Bailey and Tek walked to load the bases. Lefty-killer Rocco came on to pinch hit for Nick Green and singled home two runs, tying the game. Two shutout bullpen innings later (ninth belonged to Bard, tenth to Ramirez), Julio Lugo, of all people, knocked the game-winning RBI off Danys Baez. Pap nailed down the save in a redeeming 1-2-3 bottom of the eleventh and the Sox get their revenge for last night.
Having gone 6-3 on the trip and improving their road record to 23-20, the Sox are ready for some home cooking at Fenway. They'll celebrate the holiday weekend by hosting the Mariners. The A's come in next week and then the Royals (sans Coco, whose season is over after being injured last month). After that, the All-Star Break.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!! WAY TO BOUNCE BACK TODAY!!!!
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