The Cody and Adrian Show

 In the absence of The Large Father, Cody Ross and Adrian Gonzalez combined to set off fireworks reminiscent of a certain national holiday that happened two weeks prior.   Ross knocked two three-run bombs and a double.   Gonzo had an RBI single in the first inning, a solo dinger following Ross's second foray above the monster, and later a 2-run single.  The two combined to drive in all 10 of the Red Sox runs last night, Ross with 6 RBI and Gonzo with 4.   Playing a heavy supporting role in the hit parade were two guys who have missed half the season but are looking pretty impressive batting first and second:  Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford.   The sample size is minuscule, but perhaps these are the positions Ells and Crawford should have been in all along.   They set the table for Ross and, combined with Ciriaco at the bottom of the order, create havoc on the base paths.    Games like last night's, when the hitting and pitching come together have been all too rare this season.   Felix Doubront, given a boatload of run support from the aforementioned hitters, overcame a shaky first inning to go 6 and give up only 1 run.    Was this game a rare treat or the start of a much-improved second half?

Red Sox Midseason Report Card

This is the kind of report card that would get you on TV restriction and some sessions with a tutor.    The Red Sox midseason grades aren't pretty, that's for sure.   Entering the All-Star break, the Beantown Boys are 43-43.   Sure, there are 76 games left to play, but without better health and a dramatic turnaround by glaringly underperforming supposed "stars", the second half might not look too much different from the first.

Let's start with the pitchers.    When the lowest ERA in the rotation is 4.41 (Doubront), it's no wonder the team's sitting at .500.

 Jon Lester:  D   Lester is supposed to be the ace of this rotation, but his performance to date has been underwhelming to say the least.   A disappointing and below-league-average 4.49 ERA and a 5-6 record from a guy who was not long ago on the cusp of becoming an elite pitcher is one of the biggest mysteries of the season.  Lester is only 28 and should be in his prime.   Why this big step back and why has he become Lackey-esque in his demeanor on the mound, glaring at umpires when he doesn't get a strike call?    He has the stuff to be great, but he has to get his head back in the game if the team is to make any noise in the second half.

  Josh Beckett:  C   Not dominant by any stretch, Beckett has been slightly better than Lester.  Given his age (32), some of his issues might be attributed to some age-related decline.   His velocity is down from when he was at his best and he has to learn how to become a finesse pitcher as opposed to a power pitcher.   He figured prominently in the "chicken and beer" scandal following the September implosion and that has landed him in hot water with many fans as well as the TMZ-esque Boston sports media.  He also needs to step up his game in the second half.

  Clay Buchholz:  C+  He was absolutely dreadful in April and early May, but he was beginning to put it together before landing on the DL (and in the ICU!) with esophagitis.   He's due to return to the rotation when they pick up the season in Tampa Bay this weekend.    Seeing how ill he was, it seems he would need more time to get his strength back.  Therefore, my expectations for him in his first few starts back are tempered.

  Felix Doubront:  B  Not a whole lot was expected out of the young Doubront coming into this season.   He made the rotation due to a very strong showing in Spring Training and he's been one of the bright spots in the rotation in the first half.   He has struggled lately as he's had to adjust to the league adjusting to him.   He's also close to exceeding, if he hasn't already, his innings count from last season in Pawtucket.    However, he rebounded a bit in his start on Saturday night against the Yankees, despite allowing 3 runs in the first inning.

  Franklin Morales:  B  Morales converted to a starter in June to fill a hole in the rotation when Beckett went on the DL for shoulder inflammation and pitched very well in his first three starts before getting roughed up against the Yankees last Saturday.   His work in the bullpen was solid, especially on the road.   Fenway has given him a bit of trouble, however.     He is scheduled to remain in the rotation for the time being, but he could return to the bullpen should the need arise or should his innings start to pile up.

Daisuke Matsuzaka: incomplete, but what we've seen so far is not encouraging.  

Aaron Cook:  incomplete, but he could play a more prominent role in the second half.   His 81-pitch 2-hit shutout of the Mariners on June 29 was impressive.

Daniel Bard:  D-  There's no sugarcoating how disastrous the Bard-as-starter experiment was.   After an outing where the Blue Jays fans were screaming to get him out of the game before one of his errant pitches seriously hurt one of their players, Bard was sent down to Pawtucket to work out whatever it was that made him completely unable to find the plate.   He has continued to struggle in AAA and he seems to have lost all of his confidence.   It's really sad to see, as he has so much talent and when he was a setup man, he could reach triple digits on a regular basis.   I hope he can find that velocity and control once again and be able to help the Red Sox in the same manner he has in the past--in the bullpen.

Alfredo Aceves:  B-  He has a high ERA (4.33) for a closer, but the number is skewed somewhat by his abysmal opening series against the Tigers and the bullpen meltdown against the Yankees on April 21.   He is 19 for 23 in save opportunities.   Think 2010 Papelbon.

Matt Albers:  B+  He has a propensity for giving up the long ball every now and then, but overall his performance has been very good, with a 2.38 first half ERA.

Scott Atchison:  A  Uncle Atch has quietly put together a solid first half, with a minuscule 1.79 ERA and has earned one of the few A's on this midseason report card.

Mark Melancon:  C+  Melancon struggled so badly in his first few outings in the Red Sox bullpen that he was promptly sent down to Pawtucket.   He dominated in AAA and earned his way back to Boston, where he looks much more like the Mark Melancon that the Sox traded Jed Lowrie and Kyle Weiland for.

Andrew Miller:  B+  Miller struggled mightily in the rotation last season, but he seems to have found his niche in the bullpen, sporting a 2.75 first half ERA.

Vicente Padilla:  B+  He's one scary dude and a certain Yankees first baseman thinks the guy's certifiable but he has been an asset to the Red Sox bullpen in the first half as the setup man for Alfredo Aceves.

Clayton Mortensen, Rich Hill,  Junichi Tazawa:  Incomplete

The Position Players:

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Catcher:  B   Salty's power has been fun to see, with 17 jacks so far, exceeding his total of 16 for all of last season.   However, he strikes out a whole lot and the defense leaves something to be desired.   He has improved his communication with the pitchers, however.

Kelly Shoppach, Catcher:  B  Shop's actually hitting for a decent average, given his at-bats are limited by his role as a backup.

Adrian Gonzalez, First Baseman:  C+   His average is starting to come back up, but the lack of power is still baffling.   When the Sox made the deal, then signed him to the hefty extension, it was on the premise that they were getting a heart-of-the-order power hitter.   After all, the guy hit 40 long balls playing half his games in the ginormous Petco Park.  For the first half of 2011, he was that guy, but ever since the Home Run Derby last year, coming off of shoulder surgery in the previous offseason, the home runs have been few and far between.   The Sox aren't paying all this money (and didn't send those highly-valued prospects to San Diego) for a singles and doubles hitter.    His defense at first base remains excellent and now that the infield logjam has been solved, he no longer has to roam the outfield.   To his credit, he changed positions without complaint.   However, that switch might have hurt his performance at the plate.

Dustin Pedroia, Second Baseman:  C+  It's admirable that Pedey wanted to gut it out and play through pain after his thumb injury in late May.  At the time of the injury, I thought for sure he would go on the DL and thought it would be best for him to rest it right then, but Pedey and the Red Sox decided he would play through it.  However, in doing so he may have done himself and the team more harm than good.  His game, especially at the plate, suffered dramatically.   It's likely the adjustments he made to compensate for his hurt thumb caused a second injury on that same thumb that could have him out at least a month.   Had he gone on the DL after the first injury, he might be healthy and productive instead of in a thumb cast.  

Mike Aviles, Shortstop:  B-  Aviles won the starting shortstop gig over the defensive whiz in AAA who goes by the name of Jose Iglesias and he started out swinging a hot bat and teaming up with Pedey to make turning double plays look as easy as 6-4-3.   His bat has cooled off since then and his low OBP knocked him out of the leadoff spot in favor of the more patient Daniel Nava.

Will Middlebrooks, Third Baseman:  B+  He came up while Youk was on the DL and swung such a blazing bat that Youk is now playing for those other Sox.   The defense and plate discipline could use a little work, but he's a rookie and that will come with more experience.   He already has 10 HR and 37 RBI and his return to health should be a boost to the offense.

Daniel Nava, Left Fielder:  A-  He has come down to earth lately, but in May and June, Nava was golden.   He was an on-base machine and a much-improved outfield glove.    He was called up in May when the DL claimed Cody Ross and Ryan Sweeney and proved to be a more than adequate replacement.   Once the injured starting outfielders start coming back, though, things might get interesting for the likes of him, Sweeney, and Podsednik.

Cody Ross, Outfielder:  A-  He can put the ball over the Green Monster with the best of 'em and his power has been very welcome on the Red Sox this season.

Ryan Sweeney, Outfielder: B-  Although he started out hot, hitting doubles like there was no tomorrow, injuries have been a problem for the guy the A's threw in with Bailey in the deal that sent Josh Reddick to Oakland.   He's already been on the DL twice in the first half and his bat has cooled down significantly.   His lack of power might make him expendable when Ellsbury and/or Crawford return.

Scott Podsednik, Che-Hsuan Lin, Jason Repko, Ryan Kalish:  Incomplete

David Ortiz, Designated Hitter:  A  Big Papi has lived up to his name so far this season and has carried this offense.   He has 22 HR and has 57 RBI and a .312 average.   I could do without the off-the-field dramatics about his contract status, but on the field, he's earned the all-too-rare on this first-half report card A.

Nick Punto, Utility Infielder:  C-  Punto is a liability at the plate when he doesn't get consistent at-bats.  When he gets several days worth of at-bats at a time, however, he shows signs of life.

Brent Lillibridge, Pedro Ciriaco:  Incomplete

Kevin Youkilis (First/Third Baseman, now plays for Chicago White Sox):  C  Youk never really seemed like himself this year, whether it be due to injuries and age catching up to him or alleged clashes with Bobby V.   A change of scenery has him looking rejuvenated, however.   He is thriving on the South Side.

Darnell McDonald, Outfielder, now plays for the New York Yankees:  C-   D-Mac fell victim the DFA when his low batting average made him expendable in the ever-turning outfield carousel.   The Yanks picked him up and he's now in pinstripes.

Bobby Valentine, Manager:  C+   This mark seems fair given the Red Sox' 43-43 record going into the ASB.  He has had a lot of crap to deal with, from front-office meddling to the incessant stream of injuries, to baggage from last year's collapse.   I honestly don't think Tito could have done any better given the circumstances.   However, it's hard to grade him any higher with the disappointing performance of the team so far.   The mis-step of calling Youk out publicly in the early weeks of the season may have undermined his relationship with the team.    Most of the poor performance is on the players themselves, but I was hoping Bobby V might have gotten a little more out of these guys, especially the pitchers, than he has so far.

The Red Sox as a team:  C-  Their stumbling and fumbling into the ASB has me wanting to grade them even lower, but they've had moments, particularly in May and June, when they've looked like legit contenders.   They've had an insane amount of injuries for the third year in a row and their top 3 pitchers have been outperformed by the likes of Felix Doubront, Aaron Cook, and Franklin Morales.   Their high-priced first baseman has spent the equivalent of a whole season (the second half of last season plus the first half of this one) searching for his power and their high-priced outfielder has yet to appear in a game and may need Tommy John surgery.    They've looked like little leaguers against the Yankees and Rangers and are 1-5 against the Oakland A's of all teams!   In order for them to have a prayer for even a wild card spot, the top of the rotation will need to get their act together, Ellsbury will have to return to 2011 form, Ortiz will have to keep up his first-half performance, Gonzalez will need to figure out how to hit home runs again, Salty and Aviles will have to improve their OBP, and the bullpen will have to continue to provide the quality innings it provided in the first half (April excluded).   Unless the Yankees do what the Red Sox did last September (and, as much as Red Sox Nation would love for that to happen, don't count on it), the division is out of reach.   They are only 2.5 games out of the wild card, but they'll have to fight off the Angels, Orioles, Indians, Rays, and possibly a few more teams to get there.  

 

On The Outside

Let's face the facts:  The 2012 Boston Red Sox are a mediocre, streaky team.   They don't adapt to adversity very well, as evidenced on the disastrous West Coast road trip they just finished, where they looked jet-lagged the whole way.   Their bats, evidently, didn't make the trip as they hit an abysmal .200 in the Pacific time zone.   Not the kind of stuff you want to stay up late for now, is it?   This trip came after they started to come into their own at home, going 7-2 against Miami, Atlanta, and Toronto.

Where has the offense gone?   Nava, who looked like a legitimate starting major leaguer from May to mid-June has come crashing down to earth and once again looks like the quad-A guy who was all but forgotten last year through this year's spring training.    Pitchers are adjusting to his new plate approach and he's getting rung up a lot more on called third strikes.    Pedey's thumb is bothering him once again.   Until today, Papi had long ball #400 in his head.   Gonzo may have the quietest hitting streak in Red Sox history.   Middlebrooks got antsy at the plate in RISP situations, then pulled a hammy trying to steal a base, forcing the likes of sub-Mendoza Punto into the lineup.    Salty has been moved in and out of the cleanup spot, but strikes out too much to be a good fit there, despite his impressive power numbers (16 HR so far this year, matching his total for all of last season).    Aviles has also cooled down big-time at the plate.   Kalish is rusty from his year lost to injury and belongs in AAA.   

  The pitching, aside from Dice-K's Monday night meltdown, did a decent job on the trip--that is when they weren't facing ax-grinding former Sox outfielders in Oakland (Coco "Benched in '07 ALCS" Crisp, Brandon "Shipped to Pittsburgh in the Manny-Bay deal" Moss, and Josh "Trade Bait for the Closer Who Has Yet To Throw a Pitch This Season" Reddick).    Apart from some blown saves by Aceves and some defensive clownery by Salty, Aviles and Kalish, among others, it was mainly the offense that was to blame for the embarrassing 2-5 record.  

 It doesn't get any easier when they get back to Fenway, with the Yankees in town for 4 games, including a Saturday double-header.   Things could get really ugly in Beantown if they lose 3 of 4 or get swept.    Fair or not, Red Sox Nation still has September 2011 fresh in their minds.    (It's really not fair to the players and coaches who were not with the team last year and had nothing to do with it, but the core of the team remains the same).    After climbing to third place, the Red Sox are now in a tie for 4th with the Blue Jays and could soon be sitting alone in the cellar if the Yanks have their way with them this weekend.    

 The streakiness of this team will keep them hovering around the .500 mark and will, in all likelihood, keep them out of the playoffs for a third straight year.   These aren't the Red Sox of the previous decade.   They've gone retro and they're starting to look like your parents' and grandparents' Red Sox.   At least my hometown Nationals are having themselves one helluva season so far.   When was the last time (if ever) DC had a respectable baseball team?   

A Farewell to Youk

   The Kevin Youkilis era in Boston is officially over today, as Youk has changed his "Sox" and is headed for the South Side of the Windy City.   Youk has been an unforgettable character in his nearly eight years in Boston, from the viking beard to the bobble-body batting stance to the televised altercation with Manny in the dugout to the clutch hits and sparkling defense at first base.   With the emergence of Will Middlebrooks at third base, combined with injuries taking a toll on his offensive and defensive play, the time had come to part ways with the guy whose name inspired a cheer that sounded an awful lot like booing.  

   Youk made his Red Sox debut in 2004, filling in for an injured Bill Mueller.   His role in the 2004 Championship season was limited, but he made a good enough impression to be called up when needed in 2005.   In 2006, when the Sox got Mike Lowell (along with Josh Beckett, of course) in a trade with the Marlins, Youk made the move across the diamond to first base, where he was the starter through the 2010 season.   In his prime, Youk regularly hit over .300 and in 2008, he placed third in the AL MVP vote, while his teammate Pedey won the title.   He played a key role in the 2007 playoffs, where he hit 4 home runs, one in the ALDS against the Angels and three in the ALCS against the Indians.  In the World Series, his playing time was limited to the first two games due to Big Papi having to play first base at Coors Field to keep his bat in the lineup.   He continued playing at a very high level until his season-ending thumb injury in 2010.   Switching back to playing third base in 2011 due to the acquisition of Adrian Gonzalez, Youk's numbers suffered, hitting just .258 on the season.   Playing the more physically demanding third base took a toll on his body and he had to have surgery in the offseason to fix a sports hernia.  

    In his Red Sox career, Youk batted .286, with 133 HR, 563 RBI and an OBP of .388.   He was a 3-time All Star.    So far in 2012, he has hit .233 with 4 HR and 15 RBI.   The White Sox needed an offensive upgrade at third base and the Red Sox needed to have Middlebrooks starting at third every day without juggling infielders and placing Gonzo in right field.    Middlebrooks right now is hitting .326 and giving the Angels' Mike Trout a run for Rookie of the Year.   In exchange for Youk, the Red Sox got super-ute Brent Lillibridge and pitching prospect Zach Stewart from the White Sox.   Lillibridge takes Youk's spot on the 25-man roster and Stewart is headed to Pawtucket.   Lillibridge hits for a low average, but has some pop, plays good defense, and is versatile.

  Youk's last game as a Red Sox was a memorable one, as he went 2 for 4 with an infield single and an RBI triple that fell in no man's land between Michael Bourn and Jason Heyward.   After he reached third base on the triple, he was pinch-run for by Nick Punto and received another standing ovation (he received one before his first plate appearance of the game in the second inning) and was urged by his manager, teammates, and the crowd to come out for a curtain call.   At that time, supposedly the deal had been done and it was officially his last at-bat in a Red Sox uniform.   It was a touching and classy send-off for a guy who has done so much for his team from 2004 until today.  

   In other Red Sox news, healing thoughts go out to Clay Buchholz, who is in the hospital for gastrointestinal bleeding.   He was scratched from today's start, with Aaron Cook pitching in his stead, and placed on the 15-day DL.   Buch had been turning his season around recently and I hope he feels better and is released from the hospital very soon.  

Unsolved Mysteries: Red Sox Edition

Tonight on Unsolved Mysteries, a Major League baseball team struggles to win more games than it loses, mysteriously unable to rise over the .500 mark despite multiple attempts.   An high-priced all-star slugger whose power has vanished as his salary has exponentially increased.   A starting rotation with a paralyzing fear of the strike zone.   Is a supernatural force causing this team to lose an inordinate amount of players to injuries?   The 2012 Red Sox are full of mysteries that have their fan base scratching their heads.    

 What is it that keeps this team from surpassing the .500 mark this late in the season.   As of today, May 26, they stand in last place in their division with a 22-23 record, yet with one of the largest payrolls and the highest ticket prices in the game  That's a lot of money for mediocrity.   They have reached .500 four times so far this season and each time, they have lost the game that would have given them a winning record.   Are they doomed to finishing at best 81-81?    There is a lot of season left to go, but this team leaves us with more questions than answers. 

  What of the long-coveted Adrian Gonzalez, who cost the team in both prospects to obtain him in a trade from the San Diego Padres and money in signing him to an extension?    He had offseason shoulder surgery before the 2011 season.   The first half of 2011, he was hitting home runs, though not quite as many as projected, and was leading all of baseball in RBI.   However, he chose to participate in the Home Run Derby in July as part of the All-Star Game festivities and his power has been all but nonexistent since.   Was participating in an exhibition contest with no bearing on the team's standings and coming off of shoulder surgery the wisest thing to do?   Gonzalez will deny the impact of the Derby eight ways from Sunday, but something is behind the loss of power in a player who hit 40 homers while playing in the cavernous Petco Park for 81 games a year.   Gonzalez still brings Gold Glove-caliber defense at first base, but he was acquired to be a middle-of-the-order hitter and hitters who hit 3rd or 4th in the lineup are supposed to hit for power and are paid accordingly.   

  The starting rotation has been a bugaboo for the Red Sox for several years now.   Last season, the biggest problem was John Lackey, who was pitching with an elbow that needed Tommy John surgery and finished with an ERA over 6, the worst in the Majors.   So far this season, Clay Buchholz's numbers make Lackey's 2011 look good in comparison.  Prior to the season, I didn't think that was possible!    But Buchholz is not the only problem this rotation has.    It appears they've all been coached --or brainwashed--by Daisuke Matsuzaka to avoid the strike zone at all costs.   Giving up walks to hitters with sub-Mendoza line batting averages?   Why not let a .170 hitter try and put the ball in play.   There's an 83% chance he'll make an out.   If you grant him a base on balls, there's a 100% chance he'll reach base.   Even the best hitters make outs nearly 70% of the time.   The Red Sox starters need to challenge the hitters with their best stuff and let their teammates make the plays behind them.   Home runs are going to happen, but it's better to give one up with no one on base than with the bases filled with men who were given free passes.   

Finally, what is behind the Red Sox being inundated with far more than their fair share of injuries for the third year in a row?    Even an overhaul of the team medical staff failed to stem the tide of players filling up the DL.    The outfield has been particularly decimated.   Carl Crawford got injured trying to rehab from an injury.   Jacoby Ellsbury, in an eerie flashback to his lost 2010 season, got hurt in the first week of this season.  In another 2010 flashback, Cody Ross broke his navicular bone, a la Dustin Pedroia.   Then, Ryan Sweeney dives to make a spectacular catch and ends up with a concussion.   If that wasn't enough, Darnell McDonald strained his oblique and Ryan Kalish has been MIA with various injuries since, you guessed it, 2010!   Last year, it was the pitchers who couldn't stay healthy.  Lackey, Matsuzaka, Lester, and Buchholz all spent time on the DL.   For Matsuzaka and Buchholz, the injuries were season-ending.    Is the "dirty water" of Boston to blame?   Or is it some supernatural hoodoo voodoo force that makes Red Sox players drop like flies?   It's all so...mysterious.  

The Navicular Bone Strikes Again!

Remember that obscure bone in the foot that I never knew existed until 2010, when it mercilessly truncated the season of one Dustin Pedroia?   It's baaaack and this time the victim is Cody Ross.   Ross fractured his navicular bone fouling a ball off his foot over the weekend in Philly, just like Pedey did that fateful game in San Fran.   Whether it will end his season, which looked promising from the HR and RBI standpoint, remains to be seen, but he will miss significant time and join the growing list of Outfielders with Owwies.   Ross will hit the DL tomorrow when Youk rejoins the team.   Rumor has it that Youk's return doesn't necessarily mean Middlebrooks, or "Brooksie" as Bobby V calls him, gets Paw Soxed.   With Ross's power bat out of the lineup, the Sox can ill afford to lose Middlebrooks, who appears to be adjusting to the pitchers adjusting to him (3-for-4 tonight against the O's).  

  So, what will the Red Sox do with a surplus of infielders and a shortage of outfielders?   Will Gonzo see more right field than just during interleague games?   Will they try again with Youk in the outfield?   How about Middlebrooks?   Or will they try to trade Youk for outfield help.   Nava has been making the most of his playing time in left field, but he is not a long-term solution, as we saw in 2010.   

  The Red Sox and O's have been in a bit of a bizarro situation, given their history in the past few years.   In 2009, the Red Sox won all but 2 of their games against the Baltimore birdies and were near the top of their division.   From the end of 2011 and into 2012, the tables have turned and now it's the O's on top and the Sox on the bottom.   Tonight, however, the Sox emerged victorious, beating the O's 8-6.   Oddly enough, as bad as Buchholz pitches (and he's made last year's Lackey look not half bad in comparison), the Sox seem to put on their hitting shoes whenever he's on the mound.   Clay couldn't claim the win tonight however.   Andrew Miller, who may have found his niche in the bullpen (knock on wood), grabbed the W instead, and on his birthday, to boot.   Now, the Sox and Yankees are tied, both with .500 records of 21-21.   The epic rivalry has taken a back seat so far this season.   The Phillies, Tigers, and Angels have also been struggling.   The only "usual suspects" in the league who are playing to expectations are the Rays and the Rangers.   This being May, a lot can change, even by the All-Star break, but so far around baseball it's been a season of "expect the unexpected".   

One Good Turn

As much as I've ripped the Red Sox when they've played like Charlie Brown's baseball team (you know, the one that loses games by such impossible scores as 200-0), I have to give credit where credit is due.   The beleaguered starting rotation, beginning last Friday with Clay Buchholz, has put together a string of outings which range from solid (Buchholz) to very strong (Doubront and Bard) to stellar (Lester and Beckett).    Not coincidentally, the Sox have won all 5 of those games:  3 (out of 4) against the Indians and 2 against the Mariners.   It makes the offense's job a lot easier when the starters can go deep into games and keep runs off the board.   Ergo, you get the productive at-bats and timely hitting that too often went missing when the offense was trying to play catch-up as the pitchers handed out runs like Halloween candy.   

 I'm far from the first person to say that winning baseball games starts with the pitching, particularly the starters, and I certainly won't be the last.  At the risk of stating the obvious, pitchers who work economically, attacking the strike zone and keeping the base runners to a minimum can pitch deeper into games and limit bullpen exposure.    In the meantime, the offense can relax and put together quality at-bats instead of swinging anxiously at first pitches and making easy outs.   It doesn't always work that way; a pitcher can be absolutely dealing, but the offense can't manage to push across a run.   Conversely, the bats can bail out a pitcher who can't seem to hold onto a lead.    However, it's hard to win many games with a glacial offense or a relentless game of catch-up.   Wins come more consistently when an offense like that of the Red Sox can do its job without having to worry about their lead perpetually evaporating.    

 All that said, it's heartening to see all 5 starters step up and put together a string of starts that make us think "maybe this rotation isn't so bad after all."   Are they hearing the footsteps of one Daisuke Matsuzaka?   Starting tomorrow, the Sox have a rather challenging roadie through St. Pete, Philly, and Baltimore (given the way the O's are playing so far this year and what they did to the Sox at Fenway, they're not going to be the cakewalk they used to be).    Philly is off to a rough start this season, but we can only pray the Sox don't have to face Cole Hamels.   This trip is an excellent opportunity for the rotation to continue the run of success they started on the home stand, to prove it wasn't a fluke.  Aren't we glad that rumors of their bizarre allergy to playing at Fenway were greatly exaggerated?