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.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
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!
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?
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?
Thursday, July 28, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
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.
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.
Friday, July 22, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, July 18, 2011
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.
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.
Friday, July 15, 2011
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.
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.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
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!
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!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
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.
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.
Friday, July 8, 2011
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.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
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!
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!
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