By Matt Straub
Our State of the Red Sox column is back for its eighth installment with a high-water mark and an emergence as a serious playoff contender again. As always, we want to hear what you have to say about your favorite (or least favorite) team below in the comments section. And check back next week for the latest from the Red Sox right here.
Opening Statement
It’s official: The Red Sox are slightly better than mediocre. For a team that has won two world titles in the last eight years and routinely contends for playoff spots even in a down year, that statement should be anything but something worth noting. When you started the season 4-10, however, it’s a little more impressive, especially since the Red Sox had blown every opportunity they had to get over .500 before this week (0-5). Since the lousy start, however, the Red Sox are 24-15 heading into Sunday’s game against the Blue Jays and have emerged as a real threat to grab at least a Wild Card spot. The season is starting to look like last year, when the Red Sox started terribly, then were the best team in baseball for three months. The question is, can they make this year’s ending a little happier than 2011’s?
When you win five out of six to start a week there are a lot of high points, but this week’s had to be when the Red Sox and Daniel Bard beat Justin Verlander and the Tigers Tuesday night. Bard has been shaky to say the least so far this year in his transition to a starter, and wasn’t exactly brilliant Tuesday, but he was better than Verlander. Boston touched the Tigers’ flamethrower for five runs on 10 hits in six innings. Daniel Nava hit a three-run double on a 100-mph fastball to spark the offense, which has done fairly well over the years against the big righty. Verlander is 3-3 with a 3.22 ERA in nine starts against the Sox, not bad numbers but not his typical dominant self. (Since you’re asking in your head, he is 4-3 with a 4.16 ERA in 11 starts against the Yankees.) This was also the game that got the Red Sox over .500, and could be looked upon as a big part of the turnaround come September.
The Low Point
There weren’t many this week, but Josh Beckett’s poor performance against Detroit Thursday was the lowest of a not very low week. He wasn’t terrible, giving up four runs in seven innings, but he was raked for 10 hits and certainly wasn’t dominant. The bullpen ruined any chance of the offense helping Beckett out by getting rocked late, but Beckett put his team in a hole early. The Boston ace has been amazing lately, so one not-so-great start shouldn’t be a concern, but what is a concern is that Beckett has struggled against Detroit this season. He gave up five homers in a brutal start on Opening Day in Detroit, surrendering seven runs. He’s given up 11 runs in 11 2/3 innings against Detroit this year, a scary proposition if the Red Sox see the Tigers in the playoffs. By the way, Beckett has allowed four homers in all his other starts combined since that five-homer opener.
 |
| Scott Podsednik scores on Daniel Nava's double vs. Detroit. (AP photo) |
Three Up
Nick Punto: A three-hit game in Toronto Saturday helped get the Red Sox a win. For a guy who has really struggled in May, it was a pleasant surprise. Punto, after all, had more hits Saturday than he did in the entire rest of May.
David Ortiz: We put him on the “down” side of this list last week because he had come back to earth a bit, but it’s only fair that we laud him for what he’s done for the year. “Big Papi” leads the team in batting average (among those who qualify), home runs, RBI, hits and OBP and he is second in doubles. Other than that, he hasn’t done much so far.
Felix Doubront: He has become one of the team’s most consistent pitchers. While he’s still working on getting deeper into games, he’s only 24 and is demonstrating that he possesses all the talent required to be a star. He has given up more than three runs in a start exactly twice this year, and hasn’t done so in his last six starts. If he can get his pitch count a bit more under control and see the seventh inning with any regularity, he’ll be an All-Star.
David Ortiz: We put him on the “down” side of this list last week because he had come back to earth a bit, but it’s only fair that we laud him for what he’s done for the year. “Big Papi” leads the team in batting average (among those who qualify), home runs, RBI, hits and OBP and he is second in doubles. Other than that, he hasn’t done much so far.
Felix Doubront: He has become one of the team’s most consistent pitchers. While he’s still working on getting deeper into games, he’s only 24 and is demonstrating that he possesses all the talent required to be a star. He has given up more than three runs in a start exactly twice this year, and hasn’t done so in his last six starts. If he can get his pitch count a bit more under control and see the seventh inning with any regularity, he’ll be an All-Star.
Three Down
Mike Aviles: He’s been a key piece of the Red Sox’ success in the early part of the year, but May was not a great month overall for him. Still, when he comes through it’s usually in a pretty loud way. If he can be a tad more consistent, the Sox are on to something.
Franklin Morales: He gave up a walk and a homer to ruin any chance Boston had of coming back in that game Beckett lost. He had given up another bomb less than two weeks before, just four appearances prior. He’s not bad, but he hasn’t been on of late.
Franklin Morales: He gave up a walk and a homer to ruin any chance Boston had of coming back in that game Beckett lost. He had given up another bomb less than two weeks before, just four appearances prior. He’s not bad, but he hasn’t been on of late.
Boston’s production staff: This is a little unconventional, but hear me out. It’s been reported that part of the reason the Red Sox and Rays got into it last week was that the Red Sox had cut off the music heard in the stadium while the Rays were taking batting practice. The next day, a Rays player brought out a stereo with an extension cord to play his own music, and the Red Sox responded by blaring organ music to drown it out. The Red Sox, love them or hate them, are well-respected around the league for the way they handle events at Fenway Park. No one does a ceremony quite like the Red Sox, and their entertainment team routinely does well mixing in-game fun without going over the top. Recognizing that Sweet Caroline was becoming a hit and making it a tradition, for example, worked well for Sox fans. Everyone once in a while, however, they do something petty and stupid like this. When they do, they have to be called out for it.
What’s Next?
After Monday off, the Red Sox can actually catch Baltimore for first place in the division with a three-game set at Fenway. After that comes interleague play, which I despise, but which could provide an interesting test against an up and coming Washington team, then the Marlins.
No comments:
Post a Comment