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.
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