One Stop Shoppach

Sorry, I couldn't resist! The Red Sox signed catcher Kelly Shoppach to a 1-year deal today, bringing the backstop back to where he started his career, having been drafted by the Sox in 2001. Shoppach is primarily a defensive catcher, with a 41% caught stealing that lead the league this past season. He faltered at the plate, but has historically put up decent numbers against lefties (career .274 average facing southpaws). This is a move I didn't see coming, but it could prove to be a good deal for the Sox, providing a platoon partner for Salty, who struggles against lefties, and a guy who can control the running game. This effectively ends the Varitek Era in Boston.

That said, the Red Sox have yet to address their most glaring need: PITCHING! The Bard-as-starter experiment looks precarious and can take one of the best arms out of the bullpen, which has already suffered the loss of Papelbon. Guys like Hiroki Kuroda and Paul Maholm can be had without breaking the bank and, of the "cheaper" options, they look like the best ones. As for the bullpen, there's still the chance of a trade for Andrew Bailey. Weiland might be able to work for 1-2 innings, as he usually did pretty well the first time around the lineup. They can't expect too much out of Jenks, given his injury and illness-ridden 2011, but if he's healthy, he could surprise them.

The Ol' Switcheroo

The latest word from the hot stove is that Bobby Valentine's replacement on ESPN is none other than the guy he's replacing in the Red Sox dugout! Terry Francona will be giving me reason to actually listen when ESPN airs Red Sox games on Sunday nights. While I didn't always agree with his in-game decisions or lineups and I do think it was time for both he and the Red Sox to move on, I respect Francona as a person and I look forward to hearing his insights on the game from the perspective of a color commentator. From what I heard of him in the playoff games, he sounds like he can hold his own in the broadcast booth. It'll be interesting to hear what he thinks of the 2012 Red Sox and how his successor manages the game. Congratulations on the new gig, Tito, and best of luck!

All Good Things Must Come to an End

2004 was a year like no other for the Red Sox and the Nation. The players who made it happen will always have a special place in Red Sox history. But, time has marched on and we're heading into 2012. The game has changed and the Red Sox, for the past several years have been anchored in the past. Three members of the 2004 team were still with the team in 2011: Jason Varitek, Tim Wakefield, and David Ortiz. All three are now free agents and the Red Sox have some decisions to make. While Tek has so far been silent on his hopes for next year, both Wake and Papi have been vocal in wanting to return to the Red Sox. Wake wants to chase a personal milestone, while Papi wants the security of a multi-year deal. While it's hard to blame either player for wanting to continue playing and keep cashing those checks, is it really in the team's best interest to grant these guys their wishes?

I say no. While I wouldn't mind having Papi back on a 1-year deal with a team option, Wake and Tek need to go. They are both too far past their prime to be effective major league baseball players and neither showed any kind of veteran leadership last September while the Red Sox' season was sinking into quicksand. They are anchors to a past on which the Red Sox need to close the book. Tek can no longer hit for a decent average or throw out base runners with any kind of consistency. Also, he blocks the young and hungry Ryan Lavarnway. Wake's quest for 200 wins was a major distraction down the stretch and the last thing the Red Sox need in 2012 is the distraction of his quest for the all-time Red Sox wins record. Also, the knuckleball's a beast to catch and the wild pitches and passed balls have opposing teams running track meets on the bases.

As for Papi, he started out the 2 seasons before his walk year abysmally. He disappeared in September 2011 (1 HR, 8 RBI the whole month). He doesn't run out ground balls and, as much as I hate to say it, he's starting to remind me of 2008 Manny. The most prudent approach to take with Papi at this stage in his career is to go year-to-year. Papi can still mash the ball, but his slow starts to 2009 and 2010 are troubling. Add in the lack of flexibility the team has with the DH position, especially with emerging part-time DH candidates in Youk and Lavarnway, and it makes even less sense to sign him to a multi-year deal. If he wants that kind of security, he can look for it elsewhere.

With a new manager in the fold, there's no better time than now to move into a new era. If that means saying good-bye to heroes from the team's past, so be it. The game's changing, moving past the old wait-for-the-3-run-homer, station-to-station era--the Red Sox need to change with it.

A New Direction

After a 2-month long (was it really ONLY 2 months?) search, the Red Sox have finally named Terry Francona's successor. Bobby Valentine it is! Valentine is a colorful and sometimes controversial character in the baseball universe. It was a bold choice on the part of the front office and I believe it's the right one. A new voice and a new managerial style is needed after the Red Sox spent the seasons following the 2007 World Series championship gradually losing their edge both within their division and within the American League.

What Valentine brings to the Red Sox contrasts rather dramatically with what Francona brought. While Francona was unassuming and not one to ruffle feathers in the clubhouse or with the front office, Valentine is unafraid to challenge the status quo. Francona's hands-off style worked well with the 2004-2007 teams, but as some of the leaders from that era either departed or saw playing time reduced and new players replaced them, leadership among the players eroded, leading to the September 2011 collapse. The Red Sox need someone like Valentine to get them back on track. A strong, assertive personality who will hold the players accountable for the success of the team is just what this team needs in 2012. That and a couple of decent starting pitchers to round out the rotation.

With Valentine aboard, the Red Sox can now concentrate on putting together the 2012 team. Pitching, both starting and bullpen, should be priority number one. The Red Sox have consistently been in the bottom half of the league in team ERA, while division rivals like the Rays and Yankees ranked near the top. Improve the pitching and the offense doesn't feel like they have to score 8-10 runs every game to win.

Aside from pitching, the Red Sox must decide what to do about right field and catcher. J.D. Drew is, in all likelihood, gone and I'm not sold on either Reddick or Kalish as the starting right fielder. Reddick's plate discipline still leaves a lot to be desired and Kalish missed almost an entire year of development with injury. Of the two, I think Kalish has the higher ceiling, but he'll most likely need some time in Pawtucket to make up for lost time. That's where a free agent, preferably a righty, would be helpful, as long as it doesn't take a Crawford-esque contract to sign him. Beltran brings a lot to the table when he's healthy, but I fear he'll rival J.D. Drew in DL time. His age would necessitate a short term (1-2 year) deal. Cuddyer would make sense if he's not too expensive in dollars and years. As for catcher, I think it's time to bid farewell to Tek and let Salty and Lavarnway split time behind the plate.

What to do about Papi? He has suitors among other AL East teams--namely the Blue Jays and the Orioles and they will dictate the market for an aging slugger who plays almost exclusively as a DH. It pains me to call him "aging" since he's only 2 short weeks older than me, but in pro sports years, that's how it goes. He had a phenomenal year in 2011, which makes it all the more of a gamble to re-sign him. Sign him to a multi-year deal and risk a sharp decline, as well as tying up the DH spot for that much longer. Let him walk and risk him continuing his recent success, but for one of the division rivals. If it were up to me, no more than a 1-year deal with a team option for a second year. If that's not enough, Lavarnway can DH when he's not catching, getting him more at-bats in the process.

Winter meetings are next week! It will be interesting to see what the Red Sox will do. I'm not expecting anything like the Gonzalez/Crawford extravaganza of last off-season, but I don't think something like that is needed this year.

Oh, What A Circus!

The Red Sox have chartered an awfully big bus. After all, it has to be big enough to fit everyone connected with the organization who has been thrown under it in the weeks following the Epic Collapse. It's one thing to hold the team and certain individuals accountable; it's quite another to trash everyone left and right. Principal owner John Henry, who needs a gag order placed on him (and that includes Twitter), even went as far as expressing his opposition to the Crawford signing. And that's not supposed to alienate the Sox left fielder for the next 6 years how? If Mr. Henry didn't approve of the signing, then WHY did he let his GM spend his money? Something just doesn't add up here. Are the Red Sox becoming the American League version of the Dodgers before our eyes?

I'm as embarrassed as any fan about what happened to this team in September, but the dirty-laundry circus going on in October may be even more embarrassing than the 7-20 record in the final month of the season. The question now is how long will it take for the Red Sox to dig their way out of this mess. Having new blood in the GM and manager positions, as long as they aren't too similar in style and philosophy to Epstein and Francona, may help. Cherington, if he is indeed the next GM, is a disciple of Epstein and that worries me. It's not enough of a change in philosophy to set the team back on the right track. As for the manager, that has yet to be decided, but this team needs a strong leader to change the culture in the clubhouse and ensure the team's preparation coming out of Spring Training. No more Fort Myers Country Club!

The Red Sox have a long offseason ahead of them and an enormous amount of work to do. First order of business: A GM (if it hasn't already been decided) and a manager. Ownership needs to get its act together yesterday.

Charlie Brown, Lucy, The Tortoise, The Hare, and the 2011 Red Sox

I'm back from the blogging DL to wax metaphoric, among other things, about WHAT THE FRICKITY-FRACK HAPPENED TO THE 2011 RED SOX. When September began, the Red Sox were a half-game up on the Yankees in the AL East and 9, that's NINE games up on the Rays. What transpired in the next four weeks would be too ludicrous, too outlandish to believe if you're not a Red Sox fan and not familiar with the decades of futility that preceded 2004.

Remember the story of the Tortoise and the Hare? If not, here's the Cliff Notes version: The tortoise and the hare decide to race each other. While the tortoise is plodding along slowly but surely, the overconfident hare takes a nap along the way, sure he could snooze a while and still beat the poky turtle. Surprise surprise! The tortoise crosses the finish line first! In the context of the AL East in 2011, the Red Sox were the hare (despite having a couple guys who are tortoises on the basepaths) and the Rays were the tortoise (despite their youth and athleticism). The Sox, laden with all-stars and a laid-back skipper, took a nap in September, to the tune of an atrocious 7-20 record. The Rays, while not setting the world on fire, gained ground on the Sox by simply playing good baseball closing the gap little-by-little over the course of the month until they passed them on the very last day of the season and usurped the Wild Card berth the Sox had taken for granted. The Yankees, who had passed the Red Sox early on in the month, took the division crown.

Even though the Red Sox won only 7 game in September, it seemed as each win could be the one to set them back on the right track. Wake's 200th win, after 9 tries, was a monkey off their back. The 14-inning, 5-hour tangle with the Yankees where MVP candidate Jacoby Ellsbury won it with a 3-run jack, surely that game would spur on a 4-game winning streak and a Wild Card berth, right? Wrong. How about the last game of the season, all the way up to Papelbon's 0-2 pitch to Chris Davis with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th at Camden Yards? Davis doubled, Nolan Reimold followed with another double to tie the game at 3, then the latest member of the Sox Killer Society, one Robert Andino, dealt the death blow with a walkoff RBI to score Reimold. Then, what seemed like 2 seconds later, another Sox killer Evan Longoria hit a walk-off dinger to give the Rays their playoff berth. Lucy, set up that football. Here comes Charlie Brown!

You have to tip your cap to the Rays, who battled back from a 7-run deficit against the Yankees to tie the game, force extra innings, then walk off with the win. It was a microcosm of their September, rallying from 9 games back to overtake the Red Sox and clinch their third post-season berth in 4 years. With their perseverance the deserve to be in the playoffs. While the Red Sox completely imploded, the Rays kept it together and took advantage of an opportunity. How I wish it was the other way around.

This historic crash-and-burn caps off a several-years-long decline from the glory days of 2007 and even 2008, despite missing out on the World Series that year. The team has lost its competitive edge, its hunger to win as many games as they can and take home a championship. No one person is responsible for this decline, rather it's a combination of people and events. Theo Epstein may have brought the Red Sox two high-profile players in the offseason, but his free agent talent evaluation leaves a lot to be desired, as well as his ability put together an elite starting rotation. Terry Francona seems like a wonderful guy with sincerity and integrity. However, in the absence of a strong clubhouse leader, is he really the best manager for a seemingly directionless team? The laid-back demeanor that helps him cope with the pressure cooker that is Boston sports may be detrimental to keeping the team as competitively sharp as their divisional and league rivals.

Sometimes a manager's tenure with a team runs its course and I think this is the case with Francona and the Red Sox. Maybe both team and manager need a fresh start. I'm not familiar with who's available as a replacement, but ideally he would manage the team with a firmer hand, making sure everyone's in shape when they report for Spring Training and emphasizing baseball fundamentals both then and throughout the season.

Other areas of improvement include the coaching staff, particularly Curt Young and Tim Bogar. Pitching, or lack thereof, was the downfall of the 2011 Red Sox. Part of that's on Epstein, but the on-field staff also bears some responsibility for the mess that was Red Sox pitching in September. Even Beckett and Lester got Charlie Browned (Again with the little bald kid! Oh, good grief...) on a regular basis. Starters were hard-pressed to go 6 innings, let alone 7 or 8. Only one pitcher threw a complete game all season (Beckett vs. the Rays on June 15). That left the bullpen completely gassed by the end of the year. The Sox pitchers plunked more batters than any other team in either league.

How about those trainers and that medical staff? Two seasons in a row with an avalanche of injuries isn't just coincidence. How long did it take them to diagnose Clay Buchholz with a stress fracture in his back? Imagine how much sooner he might have been able to return had they diagnosed him correctly right away.

They say it's not how you start, but how you finish. The 2011 Red Sox started terribly and finished even worse. In between they looked like world-beaters, but in the end, that in-between wasn't enough to offset the ugly baseball that bookended the season.

The Glass Menagerie

Look out! The 2011 Red Sox are falling down the 2006-hole! Papi has an achilles heel, Youk and Scoots are moaning "Oh my aching back!" (joining Buchholz, of course) and Red Sox Nation has a collective headache watching the overrated Red Sox offense flail away like blind, disoriented squirrels at pretty much any pitch that pretty much any pitcher throws. Add to all this a "settle for the Wild Card" mentality from the Powers that Be and it's going to be a brutal stretch run for this team. They look like the woebegone April version who lost 10 of their first 12 games and played baseball like blindfolded 5-year-olds playing Pin The Tail on the Donkey. Guess what? The blindfolded 5-year-olds are back and have no earthly clue where they're throwing the ball. How they stumbled upon a triple play last night is a mystery to me, but even the aforementioned blind squirrel finds an acorn once in awhile.

Something needs to be done about this team's training and conditioning regimen: They're made of glass! First the pitchers started dropping like flies and now the hitters are looking like players in the Old Timers' Game. Lowrie is one twinge away from managing to get hurt again and he's hitting and fielding atrociously to boot. Gonzo looks like Sean Casey, but with a better glove and looks like he's one sudden head turn away from a neck brace. Crawford may need to connect himself with an eye chart. Reddick has come back down to earth, as predicted, and still has some plate discipline issues. Tek's average is plummeting again. Only Ells (who provided the singular clutch hit of the series against Tampa "We Own The Red Sox at Fenway" Bay), and to some extent Pedey, are hitting and playing the type of baseball they're capable of. Ells and Pedey are great players, but they can't do it all themselves. It's only a matter of time before they get dragged down by the rest of the team.

The pitching has not been terrible, but it hasn't been great either, save for Lester's gem in the first game of yesterday's double-header. Bedard's pitching well, but getting no run support, just like back in Seattle. Of course, the Red Sox made the Mariners' offense look pretty damn good last weekend. Beckett's been getting no run support all season. The run support even dried up for Lackey today.

Good luck on that road trip, Red Sox, because you're gonna need it. As for me, I need to step away for the sake of my sanity. If that makes me a "bad fan" so be it. I get too emotionally invested in these games and it takes a toll. I had to get this rant out of my system before going on the blogging and Red Sox-watching DL. If things turn around for the Sox, that's great, but I'm not counting on it. In the meantime, I need to try to give my mind (not to mention my blood pressure) a little break from it all.

Winning the Division Does Matter

MLB may have taken away the division winner's right to choose the playoff schedule, but home field advantage could be very important to the Red Sox for another reason and that reason is the Texas Rangers. Even though the AL West is about as close as the East right now, I still think the Rangers have the best chance of winning that division. If the Rangers hold their lead and finish with a better record than the Tigers, then they (the Rangers) will face the Wild Card team, which is practically guaranteed to be either the Yankees or the Red Sox, and have home field advantage. If the Red Sox end up as the Wild Card, that means they have to face a team that they do not match up well against and play as many as 3 of 5 games in a ballpark where they have not had much success. If the Red Sox win the division, however, they will play the team from the Central (likely the Tigers, against whom they went 5-1 this season) and only have to play as many as 2 of 5 away from home. They would also have home field advantage should they advance to the ALCS because whoever wins the East will, barring anything crazy happening, have the best record in the league. Even if it happens that they face the Rangers in the ALCS, at least they would play up to 4 games at Fenway. Therefore, it's not only pride that would come with an AL East win.

It could be that the Indians win the Central and the Angels win the West, but the most likely scenario is the Tigers and the Rangers. Home field advantage goes out the window for whatever AL team wins the pennant and represents the league at the World Series, but for the first two rounds of the playoffs, the advantage is within reach for the Red Sox. I hope they are hungry for a divisional win after losing out the the Yankees and the Rays the past 3 years. They need not lose their competitive edge settling for the Wild Card.

Jacoby MVP-sbury

Before last night, Jacoby Ellsbury had never had a walk-off hit in his major-league career. Tonight, he has two in a row! Last night, it was a single that drove in a pinch-running Salty. Tonight, it was a majestic shot into the stands in straightaway center field. Both nights, Ells and the Red Sox got it done in the bottom of the 9th, avoiding the bullpen toll of extra innings.

The starters of both walk-off games, Beckett last night and Wake tonight, can commiserate about paltry run support. Beckett got 2 runs and Wake got 3. Beckett gave up 2 runs and Wake gave up 3. Two tie games, two walk-off wins, one hero. Carl Crawford passed the walk-off torch to his fellow speedster tonight. With the Yankees steamrolling the White Sox, each Red Sox win has been essential to staying on top in the division race. Each team has one more game against their AL Central opponents before facing each other this weekend. The Red Sox have newcomer Erik Bedard facing old friend Justin Masterson. I like Masterson. He's a class act and a very talented young pitcher who has put together an excellent season for the Tribe. That said, I hope the Red Sox hand him a loss tomorrow and help Erik Bedard get his first win in a Red Sox uniform.

Bedard will be working with a reduced pitch count tomorrow (75-80 pitches) and may still have a little rust from his DL stint, so patience--not an area of great strength for me--will be necessary. According to scouts, the stuff is there. I'm looking forward to seeing how he transitions to the big market and the pennant race. Some run support for him would be nice. He didn't get a whole lot of that with the M's.

Back to Jacoby and the amazing season he's having so far. Once again, he has as many home runs as Adrian Gonzalez. He's batting .317 with 18 HR and 65 RBI out of the leadoff spot, with a .374 OBP and an .885 OPS. He has the highest batting average of all center fielders in the league and the second highest in the majors. All this after missing almost all of last year.

Pedey's another player who has bounced back admirably after a season-ending injury last year. Since June, he's become the Pedey he was before the fouled that ball off his foot and broke a bone that Red Sox Nation is now all-too-familiar with. Who else without a medical degree had heard of the navicular bone before Pedey's injury? He started out this season slowly, but once he got his balky knee checked out in June, the peace of mind he gained from the procedure fueled his return to Pedeyness and paved the way for the Legend of the Muddy Chicken. (Laser Show is so 2010) He was named AL Player of the Month for July, a month in which he put together his career-best 25-game hitting streak (which actually began in late June and extended through almost all of July).

Then there's Gonzo. He still leads the majors in batting average (.357) and RBI (90) but the power's down from his days as a Friar. Sometimes when the average rises, the power falls. He's also coming off of shoulder surgery in the off-season. When he's driven in more runs than any other player in baseball and gets hits more often than any other player in baseball, I'll take that any day. He plays a stellar first base to boot.

Pitching FAIL

If this Red Sox team has a glaring weakness, it's their starting pitching. Their starters have a combined ERA of 4.11, which ranks them 9th in the league and 20th overall. Those aren't championship-caliber numbers. Not even close. The average AL team's starting pitchers' ERA is 3.98, making the Red Sox rotation's number below average. The reason they're in first place in the league (as of tonight, however, only by a single game) is their offense, defense, and bullpen. After Lester and Beckett, the drop-off in the rotation is pretty steep. With Buchholz shelved for the season with a stress fracture in his back, the team will have to look to Erik Bedard to provide a reliable presence as the #3 starter. That's a lot to ask of a guy coming off a knee injury and having to adjust to a new team in a large market with sky-high expectations.

Tonight, neither the starter (the maddeningly inconsistent John Lackey) nor the relievers (Daniel Bard and Matt Albers) could keep the ball in the ballpark. The Tribe clubbed 4 dingers off Red Sox pitching: 2 off Lackey, 1 off Bard and 1 off Albers. Let's hope this was just a bad night and not the start of a trend. NESN, with whom I usually have no problem, tempted fate to the nth degree by repeating a few too many times statistics on how long Bard and Albers had gone without giving up a run.

The Red Sox starting pitching is going to have to improve if they are to hang on to the division lead and play deep into October. Had Lackey rose to the occasion tonight and pitched a quality start, it could have taken some of the pressure off Bedard to stabilize the rotation.

Advantage: Red

Owned by Ozzie & Company no more, the Red Sox took 2 of 3 from the White Sox at The Cell this weekend. After dropping Friday night's game due to lack of offense, the bats busted out on Saturday night behind a strong Lester (8 innings, 4 H 2 ER 1 BB 8 K) and won 10-2. This afternoon, Andrew Miller, while being far from economical, kept his team in the game and struck out 8 White Sox, but it was Aceves who got the win. The Muddy Laser Chicken Show, a.k.a. Pedey, knocked in the tying and winning runs in the 7th and Gonzo, who went yard last night for the first time since before the All-Star break, added insurance with an RBI double in the 9th. Pap struck out the side in the ninth to nail down the save. Tek provided some early offense when he hit a 2-run jack in the 2nd off Mark Buehrle. Miller ended up allowing 3 runs and left with 2 outs in the 6th, with the Red Sox down 3-2. Aceves pitched an inning (1 out in the 6th and 2 in the 7th) and handed it off to Bard and Pap.

This jaunt to Chicago was the shortest road trip of the season. The Red Sox come back home to Fenway for a 4-gamer against the Tribe starting tomorrow night and then 3 with the Yankees over the weekend. Bedard last pitched on Friday night, so his first start in a Red Sox uni could be on Wednesday. That could push Wake to Thursday and have Lester on the mound to greet the Yankees. It didn't go so well for Bedard on Friday, but DL rust probably played a role in his being touched for 5 runs in less than 2 innings against the Rays, especially since he didn't make a rehab start.

Bedard it is

Right at the deadline, the Red Sox pulled off a trade for Erik Bedard in a 3-team deal involving them, the Mariners and the Dodgers. The Red Sox sent minor-leaguers Tim Federowicz, Juan Rodriguez, and Stephen Fife to the Dodgers for Trayvon Robinson and Chih-Hsien Chiang and Robinson to the Mariners in exchange for Bedard and minor-league reliever Joshua Fields. Top prospects Will Middlebrooks, Ryan Lavarnway, and Anthony Ranaudo stayed put.

While Bedard, with a health history about as checkered as that of Rich Harden, wasn't my first choice for the Red Sox, the Red Sox only had to give up guys who might have gotten claimed anyway in the Rule 5 draft, so the cost was very low. The Red Sox needed a pitcher and Bedard is worth a shot, with a 3.45 ERA on the season. He will be coming from a team who, to date has scored the least runs in the majors to one who has scored the most and, if they keep playing the kind of baseball they've been playing since May, and assuming the major players who are currently healthy stay that way, will make the playoffs.

Welcome to Boston, Erik Bedard, and Mike Aviles too!

We Need a Pitcher...

...not a belly-itcher! All kidding aside, a decent starting pitcher (#3 or #4 quality) is an absolute must for the Red Sox if they want to play deep into October. They may be able to make the playoffs with Beckett, Lester, and pray for rain, but such a shallow starting rotation likely means one and done (think 2005 and 2009) once October begins. They may be able to slug their way to some wins in the remainder of the regular season, but they'll be facing better pitching in the post-season.

Let's face it, if the 2011 Red Sox have a major weakness, it's the starting pitching. They are toward the bottom of the league in starter ERA. They almost added another starter last night in Rich Harden, but got cold feet once they saw his medical files. You'd have thought they would have known he's a health risk before pursuing him in the first place. Other targets are Erik Bedard (if Harden's medical files scared the Red Sox, why even bother with Bedard?) Jason Vargas and Wandy Rodriguez. If they sit on their hands as the deadline passes, I'm afraid it's "wait 'til next year". The longer Buchholz' back injury is drawn out, the less likely he will return this season and if he does, who's to say he'll be anything close to the Buchholz of last year?

Royal Pains

The Boston Red Sox have the best record in the A.L. and are in first place in the East. The Kansas City Royals have one of the worst records in the league and are in fifth place in the Central. The Red Sox should have taken at least 3 of 4 from the Royals, if not a sweep, yet they had to settle for a series split after falling 4-3 to the men in dark blue this afternoon.

Ironically, it was the 2 starting pitchers that had the highest ERAs of the 4 who pitched for the Royals this series who perplexed the Sox bats the most. Kyle Davies, with an ERA over 7 coming into the series, and Luke Hochevar, with an ERA over 5, held the Red Sox to 3 runs combined. Danny Duffy, with an ERA around 4 and a half to start the series and Bruce Chen, who came in with a very respectable 3.30 ERA, combined to allow 16 Red Sox runs. It has to be kind of frustrating for Josh Beckett to consistently be on the short end of run support. The team can score buckets of runs for the likes of Andrew Miller, picking him up after surrendering a 7-spot, while they can't muster enough offense to pick Beckett up after giving up 4.

Beckett was the victim of OBIS (One Bad Inning Syndrome) this afternoon. The 4th inning saw him go all Dice-K/Miller and walk the first 2 batters he faced, then give up a 3-run bomb to Billy Butler. Then, what should have been called an error on Drew Sutton in left led to a 4th Royals run scoring. Other than that, he pitched pretty well, but his teammates let him hang out to dry. If only they could have banked some of those runs from last night and used them today instead.

The trade deadline is days away and the Red Sox are combing the market for starting pitching in the wake of yet another setback for Buchholz. If Buch's out for the year--which may or may not be the case--they are going to need to give up some talent for a #3-quality arm, someone who can start a playoff game. I'm not yet sold on Lackey in that spot and they really need a good pitching arm to get Miller out of the rotation. With Wake being shaky of late, they can't afford to have two starters who will give up a ton of runs and wear out the bullpen pretty much every time they take the hill. They are scouting Erik Bedard, but I'm very wary of the Sox replacing an injured pitcher with a guy who ends up on the DL if you look at him funny. Ubaldo Jimenez is another candidate who will be expensive in terms of prospects, but may end up being necessary if Clay's 2011 season is toast. With all they've invested in this year's team, it would be a shame to fall short due to lack of pitching.

Bats Have Wake's Back

It wasn't pretty, but Wake is now within one win of 200 for his career. For that, he can thank the guys in the Red Sox jerseys wielding the lumber. His batterymate Salty led the charge with 4 RBI in a 12-8 win over the battered and beleaguered Mariners. Crawford, Youk, and Gonzo chipped in 2 apiece and Ells and Reddick each knocked in 1. The Red Sox extended the Mariners' epic losing streak to a record-breaking 15 games. Even M's skipper Eric Wedge shaving off his bizarre mustache couldn't reverse their fortunes against the best team in the league.

Aside from getting the win (despite giving up 7 runs), Wake recorded his 2,000th career strikeout. This win was the 1,001st for Tito, the 1,000th coming last night courtesy of Josh Beckett. Commander Kick-Ass commanded again, allowing just one run over 7 innings. The bats wouldn't deny him this time--they put up a 3-spot in the 7th to give him his 9th win on the season. The Red Sox are now 62-37 on the season, 3 games ahead of the Yankees.

Tomorrow, Jon Lester's back from the DL and facing the team he no-hit 3 years ago in the Kansas City Royals. The Royals rank near the top of the league in batting average, but their pitching is another story. Let's hope this means lots of runs for the Red Sox!

The trade deadline is a week from today. It will be interesting to see what, if anything the Sox do. With Lester back and Lackey pitching again on Wednesday, they'll have a better idea on where the rotation stands. If Lester's return is successful and Lackey continues to pitch well, pursuing another starter may not be necessary. They could get a complementary piece for the outfield (like, say, Jeff Francouer) if the price is right, but to give up prospects for an aging rental like Beltran would be stupid. Another bullpen arm is a possibility also.

Felix Dethroned

For the first 6 innings, King Felix and his loyal subjects (known to MLB and their fans as the Seattle Mariners) kept the game a tight one, albeit with a score in the Red Sox' favor. Then came the 7th, which has been deadly for opposing pitchers facing the Sox lineup. The Red Sox knocked the crown right off Felix's head and pulled his throne right out from under him, scoring 4 more runs off of him, making 6 total. They would score another run off of reliever Jeff Gray, making it 5 for the inning.

The Sox had their opportunities to rough Hernandez up earlier in the game, but grounded into 4 double-plays, 3 of which ended innings. In the 7th, Salty singled, Scoots flied out, Ells singled, Pedey walked, and Gonzo knocked a 2-run single that chased Felix from the game. Gray came in and served up a 2-run double to Youk, with the second run (and Youk's advance to third) the result of an error. Papi, back in the lineup after having served his time for his role in the O's fracas, joined the party with an RBI single that plated Youk.

Lackey, while allowing 3 hits and a run in the first inning, turned in a fine performance, going 7 innings and only giving up that one run. He didn't walk anyone and struck out 4. He was relieved by Morales, who got knocked around for 3 runs (all coming on a 3-run dinger off the bat of Mike Carp, who hadn't homered in a major-league game since 2009). Unable to get the third out, Morales was lifted for Bard, who quickly retired Greg Halman to end the threat. Now a save situation, Pap came in and set down the side in order for his 22nd save and the Red Sox' 60th win of the season. According to the NESN post-game show, this is the fastest the team has reached 60 wins since 1979! And this is after starting the season 2-10!

At 60 wins and 37 losses, the Red Sox now have a .619 winning percentage. If they continue to win at this rate--and it's a high rate to maintain over the remaining 65 games of the season--that projects to 100 games. If they win 60% of their remaining games, that would bring them to 99. These win totals are within reach, especially given the talent of this team, but are they realistic? If Lester and Buchholz come back and pitch like they did last year, if Lackey continues to post quality starts, if Reddick can keep producing as the starting right-fielder, and if everyone stays healthy, the team, as it is presently constituted, has a very good chance of hanging onto the division lead and reaching those lofty win totals.

Buchholz is the biggest "if" here. His progress over the next week will say a lot about what, if anything, the Red Sox do at the trade deadline. Lackey has the potential to be that #3 starter and his recent starts (except for the 4th of July debacle against Toronto) are encouraging, but I need to see more solid starts from him before I'm completely comfortable with a potential stretch-run rotation of Beckett, Lester, Lackey, Wake, and Miller, if Buchholz's injury continues to linger. The right-handed outfielder is not an absolute need, but if the right deal presents itself and the pitching situation improves, I'm all for it.

Ells Powers Up

The guy known for his wheels has some pop in his bat. Jacoby Ellsbury may not be stealing bases at the same rate he did in 2009 (a rate that is very hard to match, even for the guy himself), but he's added another element to his game: the long ball. The All-Star Red Sox center fielder hit his 14th and 15th jacks for the season in this afternoon's 4-0 win over the O's. That's 6 more than his career high for a season and the second half has just begun. Assuming he stays healthy, 20 is well within his reach.

Today's game also marked the de-slumpification of Gonzo. Playing DH, Adrian went 4-for-5 today and looked like the MVP candidate he was in the first half. It was good to see his swing back on track. Maybe the day off in the field helped a little.

Andrew Miller continued to pay homage to Dice-K on the mound, but this time, he was the 2008 version--he walked a lot of guys but worked his way out of jams by making the right pitches with men on base. He threw 5 2/3 shutout innings, walking 6 and whiffing 3. It was a much improved outing from last Friday in St. Pete, where he was shelled by the Rays. He still needs to work on cutting down the walks, but he deserves props for keeping the O's off the scoreboard.

The Red Sox finished the road trip with a 4-2 record. Back home at Fenway, they'll be greeted by none other than King Felix and the Mariners. They will also face talented rookie Michael Pineda. After the weekend tilt with the M's, they host the Royals for a 4-gamer, with Lester scheduled to come off the DL on Monday. Having Lester back will be a big boost to the rotation, but with Buchholz's return still uncertain, it's worth looking into adding a starter by the trade deadline. Of course, if Lackey can continue to pitch like he's been pitching the last two starts, it would take a lot of pressure off of Theo and allow him to explore upgrades at right field and/or shortstop. The Red Sox need at least 3 starters who can go 7-8 innings in order to keep the bullpen well rested and effective into September and, if necessary, October.

Muddy Chicken Strikes Again

Now that Pedey's 2011 nickname has been established, let's talk about how he's leading the charge for the Red Sox offense this month. As he returns to Pedey-esque form after a slow start, he's knocking on the door of .300 (presently .295) making kick-ass defensive plays, and ensuring the Red Sox-Rays game doesn't extend to a 17th inning. He broke another tie last night, kicking off an 8-run 8th inning in Baltimore. He's riding a 16-game hitting streak, over which he has clubbed 7 HR and knocked in 16 runs and the team has gone 13-3. As Papi and Gonzo have struggled a bit, especially after the All-Star Break, Pedey has picked them up.

After the 16-innning Sunday night/Monday morning game, it would have been understandable if the Red Sox bats were a little tired on Monday night in Baltimore. Thanks in part to the O's pitching, that wasn't the case, as the Sox banged out 15 runs. Turns out they'd need at least 11, due to their own shaky pitching by Wake (7 runs) and Randy Williams (3 runs). They will need to slug their way through this series, with rookie Weiland on the mound tonight and the increasingly Dice-K-esque Miller pitching tomorrow.

Muddy Laser Chicken Show

If Joe West had been umpiring last night's game between the Red Sox and the Rays, he would have gone apoplectic long before it approached the 6-hour mark. The game had everything but a rain delay (unless the Trop started leaking, that wasn't gonna happen). However, it did feature an unprecedented kind of delay when a foul popup busted a light bulb high up in the dome's ceiling and glass came tumbling down with 2 outs in the 8th inning. During the "glass delay" Youk, who was over playing third, provided an assist to the grounds crew plucking shards of glass from the turf. In other news, Beckett threw 8 shutout, one-hit frames, Neimann matched Beckett's dominance, striking out 10 Red Sox, the Sox left the population of Liechtenstein on base, Scoots tossed his bat, Maddon got tossed. one of the Rays coaches also got tossed because he argued that Scoots should have gotten tossed, Pedey makes two webgem plays, Reddick makes one, and Pedey's base knock plates Reddick in the top of the 16th. Any questions? There will be a quiz.

Having emerged victorious in the epic game of chicken by both teams' pitching staffs, the Red Sox board their late-night flight to Baltimore a happy bunch. Beckett coined a new nickname for the guy who was his position-player counterpart last night. Step aside, Laser Show, Commander Kick-Ass has dubbed thee Muddy Chicken. The Commander sure proved his health last night, which was music to the ears of Theo, Tito, and the Nation.

The Red Sox will really have to pounce on Baltimore pitching this week, with Wake, Weiland and Miller toeing the rubber.

It's About The Pitching

Andrew Miller's disastrous start tonight only underscored the biggest issue for the Red Sox going into the second half and that is starting pitching. The in-house options to fill in for the injured top of the rotation are shaky at best. Miller, Weiland, Millwood, and Doubront are going to have the Sox offense playing catch-up just like tonight. Miller was jettisoned by the Marlins because of control problems. Clearly those have not been solved, as facing patient teams like the Rays has shown. Weiland doesn't look ready for prime-time either. The scouting reports on Millwood say promote him to the majors at your own risk and Doubront has been erratic. Using Aceves as a starter takes a valuable long man from the bullpen.

Theo may be forced to bite the bullet and deal for a SP who can get major league hitters out on a regular basis. Beckett, Lester, and Buchholz can't come back soon enough. Having them healthy is key to the Red Sox success in the second half. Sure, some reinforcement in right field would be nice, but right now, pitching has to be the priority. Red Sox Nation had better hope Beckett indeed makes the start Sunday night.

Keys to the Second Half

Coming into the second half, the Red Sox sit one game above the Yankees in the AL East and have the best record in the league (the second-best in baseball, behind the Phillies by a game and a half). They've come along way since their bafflingly miserable start, but they have a long way to go if they want to make a comeback to the playoff scene after a one-year absence. What will determine the fate of the Red Sox 2011 season? Let's take a look:

1. Pitching, Pitching, Pitching! In order to make it to October, the Red Sox are going to need to have their top 3 starting pitchers healthy and effective. As of now, the health part is very much in question and this is the most troubling development going forward. Without, at the very least, 2 of the 3 back in the rotation and pitching well soon, things could get very interesting in the division.
The medical staff says all three injuries are "minor" but this medical staff has made some questionable diagnoses and assessments over the past year or so and I take their claims with a huge grain of salt. How many times have we heard that a player is healthy and cleared to play only for them to go out and get re-injured (cases in point, Ells and Pedey last year). Or how many times have "two weeks" turned into "two months"? Theo Epstein needs accurate information in order to decide what needs to be done at the trade deadline. I have a hunch a high-quality starting pitcher may be needed.

2. What of Crawford? Carl Crawford is due to return from the DL early next week, in time for the series in Baltimore. What will the Red Sox see from him in the second half? Will he continue the course of improvement he was on before he got hurt? Let's hope so, especially while the top of the rotation is on the shelf. The Sox are going to need all the offense they can get with a rotation of Wake, Miller, Lackey, and whoever else fills in.

3. Making Right Field Right Again What does JD Drew have left in the tank? Can we expect more production and less strikeouts and groundouts to second base? The platoon with D-Mac is not working out and Reddick isn't being given the chance to start against lefties. Is Reddick ready to play right field full-time or will he be trade bait for a right-handed bat? If Reddick is ready for a full-time role, where does that leave Drew? Waivers, perhaps?

4. Jenks: Valuable 'Pen Piece or Jinx? Bobby Jenks has a lot to prove in the second half. He has battled injury and ineffectiveness in the first half and hasn't been the answer the Red Sox needed to take some of the setup load off of Bard.

5. The Competition It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the Red Sox' biggest competition in the league is their archrivals, the Yankees. The Yanks have some issues of their own, with A-Rod missing time with knee surgery, not knowing exactly what they have in Phil Hughes, and aging pitchers in Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia perhaps regressing to their norms. Their lineup has more home run power than that of the Red Sox, but trails the Sox in most of the other offensive categories. Still, they aren't having to go without CC Sabathia in their starting rotation.
The Rays are not to be dismissed either. Their pitching has kept them within striking distance and while their offense isn't anything to write home about, their rotation is so effective they don't need to score a whole lot of runs to win games.
The Rangers, Tigers, Indians and Angels are possible competition if the Sox should end up competing for a wild card spot. The Red Sox have to play the Rangers in two more series and the Indians in one more.

In other Red Sox news, Papi has been handed down a 4-game suspension as a result of last Friday's fracas with the Orioles. I hope he and the Sox decide to appeal so he's available against Tampa Bay. We know how much the offense struggled in interleague when Papi was riding pine and it would be nice to at least have Crawford back before Papi has to do his time.

All-Star Game? Not So Much...

So the National League won the mostly one-sided All-Star Game and gets home field advantage for the World Series. With the pitchers the American League was throwing out there, is it any surprise? It seemed like every healthy AL elite pitcher happened to pitch over the weekend and was therefore unavailable for the All-Star Game. This begs the question: Did NONE of the top NL pitchers pitch over the weekend? It's clear which league wanted home field advantage and it wasn't the league that could lose the most without it. As a result, the NL puts Halladay, Lee, Jurrjens, and Kershaw on the mound while the AL answers with Weaver, CJ Wilson, and a handful of relievers. It might have actually been a game if the likes of Price, Sabathia, Shields, Hernandez, or Verlander toed the rubber.

Should the All-Star Game decide home field advantage for the World Series? I say no. It's an exhibition game played by two teams of players who are not used to playing together. They don't even wear the same uniform! The Home Run Derby has more "league solidarity" than the All-Star Game itself, with the "American League" and "National League" jerseys. The team on the field in the ninth inning bears little resemblance to the one in the first inning (and don't even get me started on extra innings) It's played more like a spring training game than a regular season or playoff game. Let home field advantage be decided by which team has the better record.

Beckett was a last-minute scratch after his knee started barking again during warm-up. The Red Sox party line, including Beckett himself, says the decision not to pitch was precautionary, but if they were really taking precautions, he wouldn't have been in Arizona tonight to begin with. We'll see if he makes the start on Sunday in St. Pete.

Sizing Up The First Half

It started with a sputter, like a car that just won't start. It ended up on a high note, with the Sox reaching 20 games over .500 for the first time this season and possessing not only the top spot in the AL East, but the best record in the American League. Here are some of the key storylines in the soap opera that was Red Sox 2011 Season: Part I

Revolving-Door Rotation To begin the season, the Red Sox starting rotation was as follows:
Jon Lester
John Lackey
Clay Buchholz
Josh Beckett
Daisuke Matsuzaka.

The last 5 starts heading into the break: Tim Wakefield
Andrew Miller
Josh Beckett
John Lackey
Kyle Weiland.

The following pitchers have made starts during the first half:
Jon Lester
John Lackey
Clay Buchholz
Josh Beckett
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Tim Wakefield
Alfredo Aceves
Andrew Miller
Kyle Weiland

The following starting pitchers have been on the DL:
Jon Lester
John Lackey
Clay Buchholz
Daisuke Matsuzaka (season-ending Tommy John surgery)

Black Hole in Right Field It has been the least productive position for the Red Sox in the first half. In fact, the Red Sox right field production is near the last in the majors in average (29th, .220), OBP (30th, .302), OPS (29th, .638) SLG (28th, .335). A combination of JD Drew's steep decline at the plate and largely ineffective platoon players in Darnell McDonald and Mike Cameron (who was recently traded to the Marlins for cash and a player to be named later) has accounted for this hole. Overall, however, the right field abyss has not taken away from the Red Sox' status as the top offense in the majors. Imagine how insane their numbers would be with halfway decent starting right field production. Bolstering right field is a trade deadline target.

Hitting on All Cylinders (Most of the Time) When the Red Sox acquired Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford in the offseason, fans and management alike had big dreams of an offensive juggernaut. Beginning of the season and interleague play aside, the dreams have come to fruition. The Red Sox lead the majors in the following offensive categories:

Batting average: .278
Runs scored: 482
Hits: 872
Doubles: 195
RBI: 465
Walks: 345
On Base Percentage: .354
Slugging Percentage: .456
On Base Plus Slugging: .810
Extra-Base Hits: 323
Total Bases: 1430

All this is without much production from right field and with Carl Crawford yet to reach his career norms at the plate. There have been times when the offense has been a bit streaky and it appears as if the players are bulbs in a single-circuit string of Christmas lights--when one slumps, they all slump. However, the hot stretches have so far outnumbered and outlasted the cold spells.

SalTek: A Mutually Beneficial Arrangement Like the rest of the team, the Jarrod Saltalamacchia/Jason Varitek catching tandem started out pretty rough, with abysmal batting averages, sloppy defense, and clamoring to lure Bengie Molina out of retirement. Slowly but surely, the 39-year-old team captain and his 26-year-old protege found a distribution of labor that suited both of them, allowing Tek to stay fresh while allowing Salty to improve his skills, both at and behind the plate. Both catchers are batting just over .250 and doing a decent job behind the plate as well. Stolen bases are still a problem, but part of that problem lies with the pitchers not being quick enough to the plate.

Adrian "MVP" Gonzalez He's a team-first guy who gives the impression not giving a rodent's posterior about his personal achievements, but Gonzo's putting together a nice campaign for AL MVP, leading the majors in two triple-crown categories. He is tied with Jose Reyes for the batting average lead at .354 and he's all alone at the top of the RBI race with 77. He's played in all but one game so far this season and his presence in the lineup and acute knowledge of hitting mechanics has even helped Papi revitalize his career.

Welcome Back, Jacoby! Who could have imagined a more impressive comeback year than Jacoby Ellsbury is having? Batting .316 with a .377 OBP, 11 HR, 49 RBI, and 28 steals, Ells has earned himself his first ever All-Star berth and has become the leadoff hitter the Red Sox have always envisioned him being. He's reached a double-digit home run total for the first time in his career. Not bad for only playing 18 games last year!

Youk and Pedey: Dirt Dogs Got Their Groove Back Coming into this season, Youk and Pedey were working their way back from injuries that ended their 2010 seasons prematurely. Youk had a bum thumb and Pedey, a screwy foot. The road back to Youkness and Pedeyness wasn't always smooth and they struggled to get it going at the plate in the early months of the season. With their batting averages back up into the .280s, they're looking a lot more like themselves of late. Youk still struggles away from Fenway, but his power numbers are pretty much where they should be for him (13 HR, 63 RBI) and has been named an All-Star in place of knee surgery-bound A-Rod. Pedey's been going on a home run tear of late, going yard 4 times in the last 6 games.

Road Warriors At 27-18 the Red Sox have the best road record in the majors. For a team that has, in recent years, struggled away from the Fens, and began this season 0-7 on the road, this is pretty remarkable. Even their most recent road trip, which took them to 3 NL parks where the DH was verboten, they finished with a 5-4 record. Their best road trip, which took them to Yankee Stadium, Toronto, and Tampa Bay, yielded them an 8-1 record.

Fun At Yankee Stadium Part of the reason the Red Sox are ahead of the Yankees in the standings right now is the teams' head-to-head record. The Sox have taken 8 of the first 9 games in the season series and all 6 so far in Yankee Stadium. One caveat: Remember the first half of 2009? The Red Sox dominated the Yankees in the first half and the reverse happened in the second half. The Yankees, no doubt, have not forgotten this and it's up to the Red Sox to make 2011 a different story.

All in all, it's been an exciting first half and the Red Sox are in a great position going into the All-Star Break. Key to the second half would be keeping what seems to be the annual Post-All-Star slump to a minimum and keep going full throttle at the plate while Lester and Buchholz recover from their injuries. It's okay to keep raking even when they're back too!

Monday, Papi and Gonzo team up with Cano and Bautista in the Home Run Derby. Tuesday, they are joined by Youk, Ells, and Beckett in the All-Star Game. Go American League!

John Lackey: The Dr. Jekyll Version

Much like Dice-K, his fellow target of much derision among the Fenway Faithful, Lackey has outings where he is dominant, ones like Saturday night (yes, it's past midnight on Sunday morning) that leave us wondering why they can't be more of the norm. Maybe such a comparison is unfair after a night where he kept the O's off the scoreboard the entire game and kept the Red Sox in the W column for the 5th straight game and atop the AL East.

Friday night's spectacle involved an 8-run 1st inning by the Red Sox, a rain-soaked 5th, with the pitcher's mound feeling like a banana peel under the feet of Josh Beckett, and a benches-and- bullpen-clearing fracas in the 8th involving Big Papi and O's closer Kevin Gregg. Papi was pissed because Gregg threw inside at him 3 times, once going right in his kitchen and preheating his oven to 450. Oriole that Gregg is, he got his orange feathers ruffled when Papi swung 3-0, popped up, and ambled his way toward first base. Gregg yelled something incendiary (no doubt including those infamous "baseball terms" as Beckett calls them) at Papi and got the heave-ho from the home plate ump. Papi charged at Gregg and all hell broke loose. Reddick, who was cooling his heels at third after an RBI triple could have just strolled on home and scored the Red Sox' 11th run, but he took a detour toward the Rumble in the Infield and was called out on one of the strangest double-plays I've ever seen. It remains to be seen what the disciplinary ramifications of this skirmish will be, but I'm seeing a suspension for Papi and possibly Salty, who apparently got into it with O's reliever Jim Johnson and was summarily tossed from the game--a game in which he didn't even play! Oh, and by the way, the Sox won 10-3.

After Lackey and the Red Sox' 4-0 victory, they go for the sweep later today with rookie Kyle Weiland, fresh from Pawtucket, on the bump. Weiland is starting in place of the DL-ed Lester and it will be interesting to see how he transitions to playing for the Big Boys. He has done very well in AAA and is deserving of his shot in The Show.

R.I.P. Dick Williams (1929 - 2011)

Yesterday, the manager of the 1967 "Impossible Dream" Red Sox , Dick Williams, passed away at age 82. Williams took over as manager in 1967 when the Red Sox were the dregs of the league, with 8 straight losing seasons and turned them around to win the AL pennant that year and play in the World Series. They didn't win it all that year--the Cardinals and their ace Bob Gibson saw to that--but it was a remarkable reversal of fortune for a team that had been languishing in the cellar for the better part of a decade. Williams played for 5 teams, including the Red Sox in 1963-64 and managed 6, from 1967 to 1988.

The Red Six Win!

No, that's not a typo, thank you very much! The title of this post is in reference to the number of long balls the Red Sox hit in tonight's 10-4 rout of the O's. After taking 2 of 3 from the Jays (but losing Lester to the DL in the process) and the Yankees hitting the skids, losing 3 of their last 4, the Sox find themselves back on top of the AL East by a half game.

Andrew Miller made his 4th start in as a Red Sox and battled through a case of the Dice-K's, walking 4 and being pulled after the fifth with a high pitch count. However, he limited the O's to 3 runs and his teammates, who have been kind to him in the run support department, launched balls out of Fenway Park like a belated 4th of July celebration. Here's how it went down:

1. Pedey hit a 3-run bomb off Jake Arietta in the 3rd, after both Scoots and Ells walked.
2. Gonzo hits a solo jack off Arietta in the 5th
3. Ells knocks a 2-run dinger in the 6th off Jason Berken, scoring Scoots, who singled.
4. Papi homers off of Pedro Viola in the 7th
5. Reddick follows it up with a tater to right
6. Salty goes yard as the Red Sox go back-to-back-to-back.

Only one run was not scored via the long ball: JD Drew's RBI groundout in the 4th. That's a lot of firepower for one game! Let's hope they can keep that explosive offense going for awhile, given the state of the starting rotation: No Lester, No Buchholz, Dice-K got Tommy Johned and Lackey is in-game BP with an ERA over 7. Wake, Aceves, and Miller have been a big help so far this season, even if they haven't been lights-out. Sunday's starter is still up in the air. Let's hope Kyle Weiland, who has been doing very well in Pawtucket, gets the call.

Houston, We Have A Sweep

After a maddening, spirit-crushing, profanity-inducing, blood pressure-spiking start, the 9-game tour through the No-DH-zones of the National League, the Red Sox made it all right in the end, sweeping the woebegone Astros in Houston and finishing the trip 5-4. After all that frustration and early-season deja vu, our boys found their groove in the last game in Philly and carried the momentum to Houston.

It wasn't an easy sweep in Minute Maid Park, however. Friday night, a shaky Wakey had the Sox trailing the 'Stros fro 6 innings, while Bud Norris befuddled Boston bats as if he were Cliff Lee. In the 7th, however, the tide changed. Norris was tiring and allowed back-to-back singles by JD Drew and Salty, Reddick doubled to bring home the Red Sox' 2nd run (Scoots had led off the game with a dinger before the bat-befuddling by Norris began) Norris was pulled and the Sox really feasted on the Astros 'pen. Sutton singled the 3rd run off Escalona. D-Mac takes one for the team and Escalona is lifted for Lopez. Lopez fans Scoots, but Pedey, after jawing about a called strike, ropes one down the first base line, scoring runs 4 and 5, tying the game. On the way to first, Pedey briefly turns his head and takes one more shot at home plate ump Laz Diaz. Gonzo unties the game with a 2-run double and it's Bard and Pap Time. Red Sox win 7-5

Saturday, Andrew Miller toes the rubber and delivers another solid start, to the tune of 6 innings and 2 runs. The first inning was rough for the young lefty--he allowed a leadoff triple to Houston speedster (and good friend of Carl Crawford) Michael Bourn and an RBI single to Angel Sanchez. After a single to Hunter Pence, Miller settles down and gets a lineout and a ground ball double-play. He keeps the 'Stros to 1 run until the 6th inning, when Hunter Pence takes him yard. His teammates give him plenty of run support, including pinch-hitter Yamaico Navarro's first career long ball and a 3-run shot by the much-beleaguered Darnell McDonald that blows the game open. Red Sox win 10-4

This afternoon, Beckett dominated the Astros, holding them to a single run over 8 innings and striking out a season-high 11 batters. He didn't get much love in the form of run support, however. The Sox left the population of a small country on base and scored on an error in the 4th and a walked-in run by Youk in the 9th. Talk about clutch walking! You have to get creative when you don't have the clutch hitting. Red Sox win 2-1.

Congratulations to the 4 Red Sox who will represent the team in the 2011 All Star Game: Papi and Gonzo got in via the fan vote. Beckett was chosen as one of the starting pitchers and Ells as a player-chosen reserve. All 4 are very deserving of the honor, as they are the three best hitters on the team and the best pitcher. Past All-Stars who will be getting some much-needed rest this year are Youk, Pedey, Pap, and Lester. Lester, despite his recent struggles, has put up some very good numbers this season, but he, along with CC Sabathia were likely hurt by the fact that the Red Sox and Yankees already had several players on the team and all teams needed to be represented. Youk and Pedey have had slow starts this season coming off of injuries and Pap, though he's improved over last year, still has an ERA that's on the high side for a closer.

Back to Fenway for the 4th of July and the Canadian contingent (a.k.a. the Toronto Blue Jays) will occupy the visitor's clubhouse. Keep the winning streak going, Red Sox!

Piecing Together A Win

The lineup had a different look this afternoon, with Pedey batting cleanup while Youk rested his ankle, foot, and other various aching body parts. D-Mac occupied Pedey's usual spot in the 2-hole, Tek batted 5th, Reddick 6th, Sutton 7th, Scoots 8th and Lester 9th. The cobbled-together lineup worked, however, partly because Gonzo lined a comebacker off Cole Hamels' wrist and cut the Phillies' starter's outing short after 4 innings. Fortunately for Hamels and the Phils, the x-rays were negative and he's not expected to miss his next start.

Fortunately for the Red Sox, a guy who has owned them was off the mound and they could take some hacks off the weakened Phillies bullpen for the ensuing 5 innings. Rakin' Reddick started the rally off with a 1-out triple. Sutton, playing third for Youk, promptly knocked him in with a single and the Sox had themselves their first lead of the entire series. After Scoots and Sutton played a little hit-and-run, with Scoots singling to right and Sutton taking third, Lester tried to bunt Scoots into scoring position, but struck out. Ells let him off the hook with an RBI single for the second run of the game. An inning later, Tek went yard to extend the lead to 3 runs. He would hit another big fly in the 8th, following Pedey's dinger and the Sox had a 5-0 lead.

All the while, Lester was looking like his usual dominant self, keeping the Phillies off balance and throwing 7 shutout innings, fanning 5 and only allowing 2 hits. He couldn't replicate Lackey's performance at the plate, but when he was mowing down the team with the best record in baseball, it didn't matter. Just as Hamels has owned the Red Sox, Lester has owned the Phillies over his career, with 2 wins, no losses and an ERA well under 1.

Earlier in the day, the Red Sox DFA'ed Mike Cameron. Cameron, by all accounts, was a great teammate and a terrific guy to have around the clubhouse, but the platoon role just did not suit him at all. He is more successful when he gets consistent at-bats as an everyday player. Some baseball players thrive off in bench or platoon roles while others need to face live pitching almost every day or their timing gets thrown off. Coming off of major abdominal surgery late last season to repair a sports hernia didn't help Cameron either. I wish him the very best in whatever comes next in his career, whether he signs on with another team or decides to retire.

The last stop on the Red Sox interleague tour is Houston, where the Astros currently own the worst record in baseball. The Sox should not take them for granted, however. They have some talented players like outfielders Michael Bourn (Major League steals leader), Hunter Pence, and pitcher Bud Norris, among others. The Red Sox should be able to take at least 2 out of 3, but I thought that about their series against the Padres and the Pirates too. If all goes well, Crawford comes off the DL on Sunday. His average may be down this year, but his presence in the lineup was definitely missed.

The Lumber Done Slumber

The Red Sox offense is on the schneid, the fritz, the down-low, the blink, whatever you want to call it. How have the players been handling the abject frustration of fruitless at-bat after fruitless at-bat?

Scene: The visitor's dugout in Citizen's Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Youk (angrily shoving away his bat and helmet): Goddamn it! I almost hit a single, but it didn't make it out of the infield.

Pedey: Oh please! I can top that. I almost hit a double yesterday but that kid in right field caught it.

Lackey: Hey, Papi, where's your pop? I thought Teets put you in the lineup to give me some run support?

Papi: (shaking his head) Straight up, down, and into some dude's glove, man.

Gonzo: I'm letting this team down. I can't even drive in runs anymore

Ells: I'm trying to get on base for you guys, but it's just not happening. Too bad I can't steal first.

Reddick: I'm doing my part and I'm just some kid up from AAA trying to get some playing time against lefties. Just put 9 of me in that lineup and I'll score us 15 runs like the good ol' days.

Tito: A lot of confidence you got for a rook who hit .230 in AAA. Now D-Mac, he hits with his right hand.

D-Mac: I try, man, but I kinda forgot how to hit in the off-season. I'm a lucky guy, cuz as long as I stand in the righty batter's box, my man Teets puts me in the lineup, right Uncle Cam?

Cam: I hear ya, bro. My Magic 8 Ball keeps telling me that I'm over the hill and it's time to retire.

Wake: Dude, I told you that thing was broken. It told me the same thing and look at me! I'm back in the rotation.

Cam: But it told Dice-K he needed Tommy John...

Wake: Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Scoots: So guys, if someone gets on base before I come up, should I swing at the first pitch?

Everyone: NO!!!!

The Definition of Insanity...

...is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. By that very definition, Tito's lineup tonight was insane. Cameron and McDonald are looking so far up at the Mendoza line they need a telescope to see it, yet they're batting 5th and 6th! Unreal! To add insult to injury (and, like last year, there has been way too much injury on this team) the NL rules require the pitcher to bat and the DH to ride pine. When your DH is hitting over .300 and leading the team in home runs, having to do without him really handicaps the offense. Never mind that the absence of Crawford in the lineup behind him has contributed to a bit of a slump and reversion to bad habits (being too pull-happy and playing into the shift, for example), he's still a force to be reckoned with and provides protection for Youk, and to some extent, Gonzo too.

Tonight's result, a 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, was, unfortunately, no surprise. In order to win tonight's game, Lester would have had to pitch a shutout. He didn't pitch badly, but he wasn't all that sharp either. The defense did him no favors. Cameron badly misplayed a liner to right, diving for it and letting it get past him rather than playing it on the bounce and holding Red Sox discard Mike McKenry to a single. The usually reliable Youk botched a few plays at third. Of course, when you walk the pitcher, as Lester did in the 3rd inning, that's nobody's fault but your own.

The Interleague schedule was supposed to be a time when the Red Sox could possibly gain some distance from their division rivals, but given the timing of certain illnesses and injuries, that is proving not to be the case. Tito stubbornly adhering to a platoon situation in the outfield when the right-handed hitters are near-automatic outs (batting 5th and 6th, no less) isn't helping either. When you dilute the lineup that much, you're not going to win many games. Not with a team ERA that ranks 8th in the league.

Still Lacking

Dice-K might have gotten Tommy Johned out of the rotation, but there's still another huge problem taking the mound every 5th day and that problem is John Lackey. He owns an ERA north of 7 and doesn't show any signs of improving. Unfortunately, pitching is a bit thin right now, with Beckett ailing and Buchholz's balky back. Andrew Miller is temporarily occupying Buch's spot and a wild and walky Aceves filled in for Beckett last night. Have the Red Sox come to a point where Kevin Millwood would be a better option in the rotation than Lackey? Millwood has improved since his first start in Pawtucket and in his most recent start he threw 7 innings of 1-run ball. At this point, he can't be much worse at the major-league level than Lackey, or can he?

As for the bats, injuries and illness have watered down the lineup of late. Crawford has a strained hammy, Lowrie has a bad shoulder, Scoots is kneeling before the porcelain throne, JD Drew looks ready to call it a career, and too many starting lineups lately have featured two sub-.200 hitters. Neither Cameron nor McDonald were cut out to be platoon players. McDonald did well last year because he was playing almost every day. Some guys take well to the platoon role and can hit for a decent average without consistent at-bats.

Crawford may not have been tearing it up before he hit the DL, but at least he is better protection than McDonald. Ditto Lowrie. Even Drew is better protection than a guy barely hitting over .100. Screw lefty-righty--with batting averages that low, you might as well have Drew and Reddick in there against lefty starters. Especially Reddick. If he's going to be part of the Red Sox' future, he needs to learn how to hit lefties well. He's showing improved plate discipline and deserves to be in the lineup against both righties and lefties. On Friday night, against LHP Paul Maholm, I better not see Cameron and McDonald in that lineup. It just ain't working, Tito!

Beckett. Was. Missed.

It was a tribute performance the Red Sox would rather forget. Alfredo Aceves' homage to Daisuke Matsuzaka could have won an Oscar--it certainly would not have won a Cy Young award--right down to the 5 straight walks to bring in the first 2 Padres runs. All they had to do was leave their bats on their shoulders. Was this Aceves' way of returning the favor after the Padres 'pen helped the Red Sox to a 10-run inning with 2 straight hit batters?

Despite Salty's best efforts to help him correct the problem, Aceves kept pitching as if he were blindfolded, or just plain blind, in a game of Put the Ball in the Strike Zone. With no long reliever in the Red Sox 'pen (Aceves WAS the long reliever), Tito was forced to leave a disoriented Aceves (a.k.a. Julian Tavarez, version 2.0) on the bump to straighten himself out and extricate himself from the hot mess on the bases, even if he gave up a half-dozen or more runs in the process. Fortunately for the Red Sox, it didn't and Aceves got Ryan Ludwick to fly out to Ells in center to get out of the inning only giving up those 2 walked-in runs.

MLB's most productive offense (by a 22-run margin over the 2nd place Yankees) couldn't muster enough off of San Diego starter Mat Latos to offset the 4-run damage done by the Friars against Aceves. They tied the score in the bottom of the 6th as Gonzo picked up ribbie #68, but trying to milk another inning out of Wheeler backfired and the Padres went ahead on an RBI groundout by rookie first baseman (and Gonzo trade chip) Anthony Rizzo. Nothing doing for the Red Sox bats in the final 2 innings against San Diego's setup guy and closer and the Sox fall to the 5th place team in the NL West.

While holding an ailing Beckett back from this start was absolutely the right thing to do, his Commander Kick-Ass presence was sorely missed on the hill tonight. Alfredo Aceves playing blind Santa Claus to the Padres lineup in the 2nd inning may have amused Padres fans and Yankee fans whose game was rained out in Cincy, but all it did for the Red Sox and their fans was cause some...er... intestinal turmoil.

Gonzo to OF? Not so fast!

Back from vaykay! I was able to watch a few of the games while I was away from my NESN subscription at home and I'm happy the Red Sox went 5-1 while I was visiting family in Charleston, SC. As the team prepares for the 9-game roadie in NL parks, a dilemma has presented itself to the Nation: Should the Sox play Adrian Gonzalez in the outfield in order to keep Papi in the lineup? Both hitters are batting well above .300 and have 32 dingers between them. Unfortunately, they both happen to play first base. Other than his primary job of DH-ing, Papi can occasionally play first. That's the only position he's played in NL parks in the past. The starting first baseman, Gonzo is a gold-glover and, so far, a legitimate MVP candidate.

Playing Gonzo out of position in, say, right field, would not only risk injury to such a valuable asset to the team, but it would weaken the right side defense considerably, making it especially attractive to hitters. As for Papi, NL rules call for pinch-hitting far more regularly than in the AL. Once the starting pitcher is out of the game, his space in the lineup is usually given to a pinch-hitter off the bench. Having a bat like Papi's off the bench could prove very valuable to the Red Sox and he can get his at-bats that way. Resting Gonzo for a game or two if they're really concerned about getting Papi more at-bats is also an option, but Gonzo should get the vast majority of the starts at first.

Playing by NL rules puts AL teams with highly-productive DH's, such as the Red Sox, at a disadvantage. However, any AL team that makes it to the World Series must forfeit that DH spot when they play at the NL team's ballpark. Ideally, the AL team wins the All-Star game and home field advantage in the World Series. If that AL team turns out to be the Red Sox, home field advantage could be huge, especially if said NL team is the Phillies.

Tonight, Aceves starts in place of Beckett, who is getting over a bout of tummy trouble (or, in Tito-ese, "intestinal turmoil") With Wake in the rotation, Aceves has become the long-reliever/spot starter guy. Last night, the Sox unloaded a can of whoop-ass on the Padres in a 10-run 7th inning. Will more offensive fireworks follow tonight?

Party's Over

It had to end sometime, right? Sure, it would have been nice if they had stretched the win streak to double digits, but it wasn't to be. Shields is a beast in his home dome and the Sox couldn't put together very many good at-bats against him. It didn't help that Shields owns Youk and Youk happens to bat cleanup. The only cleaning up Youk did was in Shields' favor, by hitting into 2 inning-ending double-plays. Ells' running game was silenced also, as he wasn't able to get himself in scoring position for Gonzo to drive him in. Gonzo himself had 3 hits, all singles. Unfortunately, this put him on first with less than two outs and tonight's double-play machine on deck. Seeing that he would probably be bested by Papi, Tek, and possibly even former Red Sox Sean Casey and Doug Mirabelli in a footrace, stealing to take away the double-play was not an option. He's one of the best hitters in the league and a helluva first baseman, but any reference to "Speedy Gonzalez" would be in jest.

Wake pitched very well, going 7 innings and allowing only one earned run (2 total). He had the misfortune of matching up with Shields, who owns the Sox in the Trop. He deserved a better fate than to be stuck with the loss (which is why I take a pitcher's win-loss record with a grain of salt. The ERA and number of quality starts is more indicative of performance than a stat based partly on elements beyond the pitcher's control, especially in the AL)

I'll be on vacation for a week starting tomorrow and won't have NESN where I'll be, so no blogs 'til I get back. In the meantime, I hope the Red Sox can bounce back and take the next 2 against the Rays. At the very least, win 1 out of 3. The Yankees aren't allowing the Red Sox to gain any distance in the division and actually gained a game tonight, beating the Rangers while the Red Sox lost to the Rays.

It's interesting how some teams just seem to own other teams. In the case of the Red Sox, they've owned the Angels, Tigers, and, so far this season, the Yankees, but the White Sox, Rangers, and Rays seem to own them. I have no doubt that this holds true for pretty much any team, but I have yet to figure out what it is about certain teams matching up that causes one team to dominate (or be dominated by) another.

Party At The Plate

They've been a pitcher's worst nightmare so far on this road trip. One by one, they've been devouring the opposing teams' starters, as well as their bullpens. The Yankees were happy to bid them good riddance, as are the Blue Jays. The Red Sox bats have been scorching through their division rivals after sweeping the A's to end their last homestand. They now have the longest win streak so far in the majors this year and the longest for them in over two years.

As ugly as the Red Sox' offensive stats looked at the beginning of the season, they look that much prettier now: They lead the majors in batting average, runs scored, on-base percentage, and OPS (on-base plus slugging) and are second in slugging percentage. Adrian Gonzalez leads the AL in 2 of the 3 triple crown categories (batting average and RBI) and the majors in RBI and looks like he could give Jose Bautista a run for his money as an MVP candidate. Big Papi has turned back the clock to 2007, hitting for average as well as power. Youk and Pedey look to be heating up after slow starts. Scoots has been earning his job back as the everyday shortstop upon returning from the DL. Crawford continues to improve his performance at the plate and Ells has become the quintessential leadoff hitter. Tek and Salty are giving the team some pop from the catcher position. Drew and Lowrie are on the schneid, but with the rest of the team hitting like they have been, their slumps have hardly been a problem.

The scary-good offense has helped on the other side of the ball as well. Pitchers feel freer to go after hitters when they're getting boatloads of run support. Seeing the Red Sox play the kind of baseball they're playing now is thrilling, especially after watching them chase their collective tails in April. Tomorrow, they have an off day in Tampa Bay before starting a 3-gamer against the Rays. I hope that off-day allows them to catch their breath, but doesn't kill their momentum. With the Yankees keeping pace, not allowing the Red Sox to gain any more distance in the East, the Sox need to keep charging through and make the statement that this division is theirs. When they come back from Tampa, they dive into interleague play, where they usually do pretty well.

By the way, the offensive categories aren't the only ones that have Red Sox among the league leaders. Lester, winning his ninth game in today's rout, leads the league in wins and Beckett still leads in ERA at 2.06. It's great to see all the talent on this team start producing at such a high level. The pre-season hype may have been premature, but when this team plays to their potential, it starts to make more sense.

Seven Up

In the wee hours of yesterday morning, the Red Sox put up 7 runs in the 7th inning to eventually beat the Yankees 8-3 and pull off their second sweep of their archrivals at Yankee Stadium so far this season, a feat that hadn't been achieved in nearly a century. Less than 24 hours later, the Sox defeated the Blue Jays in Toronto for their 7th straight win. Having arrived north of the border at around 6 am after making the last out against the Yankees at quarter to 2, the Sox must have either gotten some sleep during the day or they were running on pure adrenaline.

Clay Buchholz made the start on six days rest and gave the Sox 7 innings of 1-run ball. He was given the extra rest to take care of some back pain he experienced in his last start. Feeding on past success against the Jays, Buchholz pitched like he was pain-free and didn't allow a hit until the 4th inning. The offense put up 5 runs for him and gave him his 5th win of the season. Pedey returned to the lineup after learning his knee pain was just a bruised kneecap. (Yay! No knee surgery!). He too enjoyed a successful night, going 3 for 4 with a walk. Gonzalez saw his RBI streak extend to 7 games and his total for the season is a major league-leading 57. Ells continues to rake at the top of the lineup, going 3 for 5. If he, Gonzo, and Papi aren't in the All-Star Game, then the fix is in. Each hitting over .300, these three lefties are leading the Red Sox offense and a big part of the reason they've climbed the ranks of the AL East.

Tomorrow, Lackey tries to extend the Red Sox winning streak to a season-high 8 games. Will the day game after the night game after the overnight travel catch up to the Red Sox, or will they keep powering through?

Pedey's Knee and the 2011 Edition of Grand Central DL

Late last night, after the Red Sox feasted on a heaping serving of Yankee Pot Roast (and after I wrote my last blog entry) it was revealed that Pedey may need knee surgery. What? KNEE surgery? When did this happen? It turns out he's been nursing a sore right knee since May 16 when he landed on said knee when making a play against the O's. That, along with his "screwy" left foot have played a role in his nearly season-long scuffle at the plate. Should he need to go under the knife, his bat won't be missed as much as his Gold Glove defense (save for the spot-on Bill Buckner imitation last Saturday that was partly responsible for the game lasting 14 innings).

Which other Red Sox are aching and ailing? Here's a list:

1. Dice-K: Tommy John surgery on Friday. He's gone for the season and probably most of next season as well.
2. Rich Hill: Tommy John surgery today. At least he gets to keep his 2011 ERA of 0.
3. Bobby Jenks: He had just come off the DL last week and now he's back on, this time with an aching back.
4. Salty: In the words of Tito, "intestinal turmoil" He dodged the appendicitis bullet, so he should be back very soon and the DL shouldn't be a factor.
5. Buchholz: Another aching back, his start was skipped yesterday and his status right now is up in the air. No DL yet.

Fortunately, the Sox just got Lackey and Scoots back from the DL. Scoots' return is especially important if Pedey's knee needs fixing. He just may have got his starting job back and maybe even keep Pedey's lineup spot warm for him. A right-handed bat who has plenty of experience hitting near the top of the order, Scoots is a logical option to bat in the 2-hole. Putting Crawford second stacks three lefties in a row, as does slotting Drew or Lowrie there, with Lowrie batting from the left side more often than from the right. I can't imagine Pedey being in the lineup tonight, even if he doesn't need surgery, so it will be interesting to see who Tito bats in his spot.

Celebrating, But With Caution

I say "with caution" because I remember 2009 all too well. The Red Sox beat the Yankees in 8 straight, then went on to lose all but one of the rest of the games in the season series. While the teams are made up differently this year, with different strengths and weaknesses, and while I believe the Red Sox are the better overall team, I also believe--and I say this grudgingly--that the Yankees are a much better team than they appear to be when they've played against the Sox so far this season. That being said, had the Red Sox not faceplanted out of the gate this season with a 2-10 record and instead went something like 6-6, all other things being equal they would be 5 games up on the Yankees right now instead of 1.

You have to give the Red Sox props for taking charge, at least so far, when facing their archrivals. The best way to gain ground against them in the division race is to beat them in head-to-head competition. The offense has really made hay in Yankee Stadium: So far this season Youk (2), Salty, Gonzo (2), Papi (3), Ells, Crawford and Drew have all gone yard there and the Sox have scored 29 runs total in 5 games. Even when the pitching hasn't been lights-out, the bats have done enough damage to keep the Red Sox in the W column. They've made pinatas out of Freddy Garcia and A.J. Burnett. What happens tomorrow night when Beckett and Sabathia duke it out with a sweep at stake remains to be seen. The 2 aces have matched up twice already this season, with Beckett taking both contests while shutting out the Yanks to boot. Those two starts will be a tough act to follow and it's unfair to expect him to throw another shutout, but if Beckett can keep the boys from the Bronx to at the most 2 or 3 runs and his teammates keep hitting in the Stadium like they have been, he has an excellent chance to take Round 3.

That's A Lot of Baseball!

They say good things come to those who wait. And wait. And wait. It took 14 innings over more than 5 hours of baseball for the Red Sox to pull out a walk-off win over the Oakland A's in what was--at least after the 8th inning--supposed to be an easy win for the Boston boys. When Papelbon took the mound in the top of the 9th with the Sox ahead 7-3, there was little doubt that, while he might not be as sharp as he usually is in save situations, he'd put the game away and secure Beckett's 5th win of the season, even if he gave up a run or two in the process.

NOT. SO. FAST.

If this were April, such an inning would have practically guaranteed a Red Sox loss. It began with a Mark Ellis single, followed by a Daric Barton walk. Pap fanned backup catcher Landon Powell, then up to the plate strode former Red Sox Coco Crisp. He hit a grounder to second that Pedey tried to get a glove on for an easy double-play, but instead the ball rolled through his legs a la Buckner and Ellis scored from second. Okay, one run, no biggie.

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!

Cliff Pennington lined a double to left that was just barely fair and Barton scored. Tek took umbrage at the way home plate ump Tony Randazzo was calling some of Pap's pitches and got tossed for arguing balls and strikes. Salty strapped on his gear and came into the game in Tek's place. The change of catcher didn't help Pap, who promptly surrendered a 2-run single to Conor Jackson to tie the game at 7 a side.

F-L-U-S-H!

Down the crapper went the 4-run lead! Pap was perplexed by the calls he was getting and approached Salty to discuss the strike zone with him. This did not sit well with Randazzo, who barked at Pap and gave him the heave-ho too. Pap was now pissed something fierce and charged over to Randazzo to give him a piece of his mind. Tito popped out of the dugout (though not as fast as he'd wanted to, he would say after the game) and got between Randazzo and Pap.

The closer having been ejected from the game, Tito called on Bobby Jenks to finish out the inning. After a single by Sweeney put runners on the corners, still with only one out, Jenks punched out Josh Willingham and Hideki Matsui, only ball got away from Salty on the Matsui whiff. Fortunately for the Red Sox, Matsui doesn't run well and Salty was able to throw him out at first, negating the run that had crossed the plate in the process.

After that freak show of a half-inning (the only thing missing was one of the A's players biting one of the Red Sox, a la Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals), the Sox fail to re-take the lead in the bottom of the 9th. With all the momentum on the A's side,

INTO EXTRAS WE GO!

Jenks, back out for the 10th, throws a scoreless frame. Gonzo leads off the bottom of the inning with a single, is lifted for pinch-runner Drew Sutton. He's left on base when Youk pops out, Cameron, pinch-hitting for Reddick, who pinch-ran for Papi in the 8th, grounds out and Crawford flies out.

Now Aceves is in for the Red Sox. He allowed the A's to pull ahead with a walk, a double, and a sac fly, but kept it at one run when Willingham grounded into a force-out of Conor Jackson at the plate and, after a Matsui single, got Ellis to pop out to end the inning. With the A's All-Star closer coming on for the bottom of the 11th, it looked like it might be over for the Sox.

NOT. SO. FAST.

After two quick outs, Salty doubled high off the Monster, just missing a game-tying dinger. Ells finished the job, however with a ground-rule double. Rather than face Pedey, the A's put him on and pitch to Sutton. Sutton works the count full, but strikes out to end the threat. They tied the game, but couldn't push the lead run across. More extra frames coming up.

Aceves settled down for a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 12th, but the Sox couldn't muster a run after a leadoff walk, a failed sac bunt, a strikeout, and a popout. Aceves, who came off the field after the 12th with a cut on his pitching hand, got himself taped up and pitched the 13th, retiring the side in order once again. If this were a playoff game, it might be known as the "Bloody Hand Game". Yes, though no biting took place, there was some bloodshed.

The bottom of the 13th played out much like the bottom of the 11th, with the A's pitching around Pedey (who's hitting .239, by the way) to face Sutton after Ells singled and stole second. Sutton lined out to Ellis at second and the Sox were headed for the 14th.

Aceves worked around a leadoff walk and an infield single to preserve the tie. That left Youk, Cam and Crawford to try to break through in the bottom of the inning. Youk and Cameron couldn't do anything against A's reliever Guillermo Moscoso, but Crawford doubled, making this his 3rd 4-hit game of the season. Though Lowrie had gone 0 for 6, his .293 average next to JD Drew's .228 led to him getting the 4-finger salute from Oakland. JD had struck out in 4 consecutive at-bats before standing in the batter's box in the 14th. This time, he lined a single to center to score Crawford and put a merciful end to this long, drawn-out marathon of a game and send the Fenway crowd home happy for having stuck it out to the end. Heck, I'm exhausted just writing about this game! The happy ending, though, made it all

WORTH THE WAIT!

On Command (or Lack Thereof)

I hope everyone braced for impact because the Red Sox have come crashing down to earth. Of course they do it at home against a team that plays horrible against just about everyone else, the White Sox. It seems like they lower the team is in the standings, the worse the Red Sox play against them. Irony or poor level of motivation?

One of the things that make this Red Sox team so streaky is the pitching, both starting and relief. The Red Sox staff ranks 9th out of 14 in the league in ERA, has the 4th most walks, and has hit the most batters. Those are not the numbers of a championship-caliber team. The hit batter numbers are disturbing because it just looks unprofessional to plunk your way through an opposing lineup. They're not hitting batters intentionally, rather they can't control where the ball goes when it comes out of their hand. Same with all the walks. Nothing like handing out free bases like they're candy on Halloween. Pitchers need to make hitters EARN their way on base. Why do the Red Sox pitchers struggle so much with command? I wish I knew. This happened under Farrell and it's happening under Young, so I don't think it has much to do with the pitching coach. I would say it's the Dice-K effect, but it wouldn't be fair to blame all the pitchers' command issues on one guy. However, it seems his style is rubbing off on his fellow moundsmen, whether they notice it or want to admit it or not. All pitchers struggle with command at some point, but the Red Sox staff's numbers show they do it more often than most of the other teams in the league.

While I understand that it was impossible to keep up the hot streak they had going last week, it's disappointing to see them regress all the way back to the way they were playing in early April, and against a team they should be able to beat easily. It's as if they are collectively suffering from Bipolar Disorder. The way they swing wildly from playing awesome baseball to playing a kind of ball that would make little-leaguers cringe makes it anyone's guess where they'll be at season's end. Like the saying goes, it could go either way.

Worst To First

In the dark, dismal early weeks of the season, the Red Sox at one point had not only the worst record in the division and the league, but the worst record in major league baseball. The light had not yet come on and the team looked fragmented and befuddled. If they were hitting, they weren't pitching. If they were pitching, they weren't hitting. When runners were in scoring position, they were going to stay there, marooned on the bases when 3 outs had been recorded. In other words, they were getting on base, but they were staying on base.

It is now Memorial Day weekend and during the month of May, the Red Sox have come charging back. There were stumbling blocks in the early part of the month, namely getting to .500, but once they got out of the red, which they accomplished by sweeping the Yankees in The Bronx, they've gone on a tear, save for the May 21 bizarre "rapture" game and Monday night's loss in Cleveland. The bats have been smokin' hot and Aceves and Wake have filled in admirably for Lackey and Dice-K. Buchholz put his early season woes behind him and started to look like the guy who had the second-lowest ERA in the league last year. Lester scuffled a bit, but the bats had his back. Beckett has continued to be Commander Kick-Ass, taking the Kick-Ass to a whole new level. It will be next to impossible to maintain this torrid pace the Red Sox are on right now, but if they continue playing the kind of baseball we all know they are capable of--and stay healthy--they should stay at or near the top of the division from here on out.

Two more games with the Tigers remain and two of the Sox' best starters are scheduled to man the bump this weekend in Buchholz and Beckett. Keep on rolling, Red Sox! I may have vented a lot of frustration toward you guys when you were playing so far below your potential, but I kept watching. Now you've turned it around and become an exciting team to watch.