In an inning and a third of work against the Marlins today, Jonathan Papelbon secured his 25th save of the season, a new Reed Sox rookie record. The previous record had been held by Dick Radatz since 1962, a 44 year span.
Once again, Papelbon looked impressive and continued to baffle hitters, surrendering no runs, no hits, one walk and whiffing one batter, en route to a 4-3 Sox victory.
The rookie phenom has converted an impressive 25 of 27 save opportunities this season, and will likely be named to his first All Star team today.
Incredibly, the hard-throwing youngster is now tied for ninth, along with Lee Smith (1989) and Radatz (1963), on the Red Sox single-season saves list.
Next up, with 27 saves each, are Jeff Reardon (1992) and Ellis Kinder (1953), in 8th place on the list.
As promised, I will continue to update Papelbon's performances and chart his progress as he moves up the list. He has a genuine shot at 50 saves this year, which would be the top performance by any Sox closer in team history. With each successive outing, Papelbon continues to make his case for Rookie of the Year. As it stands, the Louisiana native's 20 successful save opportunities to start this season are an MLB rookie record.
Here's a look at the Red Sox all-time single-season saves leaders:
1. Tom Gordon - 46 saves in 1998
2. Derek Lowe - 42 saves in 2000
T- 3.Ugueth Urbina - 40 saves in 2002
Jeff Reardon - 40 saves 1991
T- 4. Jeff Russell - 33 saves in 1993
Bob Stanley - 33 saves 1n 1983
5. Keith Foulke - 32 saves in 2004
T- 6. Heathcliff Slocumb - 31 saves in 1996
Bill Campbell - 31 saves in 1977
T- 7. Lee Smith - 29 saves in 1988
Dick Radatz - 29 saves in 1964
T- 8. Jeff Reardon - 27 saves in 1992
Ellis Kinder - 27 saves in 1953
T- 9. Jonathan Papelbon - 25 saves in 2006
Lee Smith - 25 saves in 1989
Dick Radatz - 25 saves in 1963
T- 10. Derek Lowe - 24 saves in 2001
Tom Burgmeier - 24 Saves in 1980
Dick Radatz - 24 saves in 1962
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Saturday, July 01, 2006
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE.....
After a significant lineup overhaul last offseason, Red Sox management thought they'd field a better team in 2006, built around pitching and defense.
On the first day of July, three months into the season and just about at its halfway point, this is an opportune time to compare this year's club to last year's, statistically speaking.
2006 2005
Record 48-29 45-32
Average .288 .285
Runs 430 434
HR 94 92
ERA 4.58 4.72
Fldg. % .992 .983
To start with, through 77 games, the Red Sox are off to their best start in twenty years. That's because the 2006 edition Sox are playing solid baseball in all facets of the game.
As advertised, the pitching and defense have both been superior to last year's team. But the big surprise has been the offense, which was expected to decline -- if only slightly. But by almost any measure, the Sox offense has been marginally improved this year. Impressively, the team batting average is up, as are home runs, while runs scored are nearly identical.
Most playoff teams are successful due to the first three, and maybe four, starting pitchers. At this moment, the first four members of the Red Sox rotation look about as good as any in baseball. It sure didn't seem that way just weeks ago. Jon Lester has been a blessing thus far. The bullpen still has question marks, but seems to be improving with the additions of Craig Hansen and Javier Lopez.
The defense is...well, record setting and unprecedented.
The offense has been the nice surprise. Trot Nixon has experienced a resurgence to the player he was prior to 2004, when injuries began to take their toll. Mike Lowell is a doubles machine, and though his power numbers are below his career averages, he's made a genuine contribution at the plate. Kevin Youkilis has outdone himself and surpassed all expectations. We've yet to see the true potential of newcomer Coco Crisp due to his lengthy trip to the DL, but he's expected to excel with continued plate appearances. Manny continues being Manny, and David Ortiz continues to establish himself as "the greatest clutch hitter in Red Sox history."
Last year's squad won 95 games and finished in a statistical tie with the Yankees at year's end. This year's team is more than halfway to that total, and the All-Star break is still a week away. And the best news is that the Sox will play more than half their post-break games at home, where their .730 winning percentage is tops in baseball.
So, far from a decline, this year's team is defying expectations, or living up to them -- depending on your perspective. But if this trend continues, the Red Sox could find themselves back in the playoffs yet again, and since they're better than last year, they just might get past the first round -- and who knows how far beyond that.
The more this team has changed, the more its success has remained the same -- and, in fact, gotten even better. So far, at least.
Let's hope the trend continues through October.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
On the first day of July, three months into the season and just about at its halfway point, this is an opportune time to compare this year's club to last year's, statistically speaking.
2006 2005
Record 48-29 45-32
Average .288 .285
Runs 430 434
HR 94 92
ERA 4.58 4.72
Fldg. % .992 .983
To start with, through 77 games, the Red Sox are off to their best start in twenty years. That's because the 2006 edition Sox are playing solid baseball in all facets of the game.
As advertised, the pitching and defense have both been superior to last year's team. But the big surprise has been the offense, which was expected to decline -- if only slightly. But by almost any measure, the Sox offense has been marginally improved this year. Impressively, the team batting average is up, as are home runs, while runs scored are nearly identical.
Most playoff teams are successful due to the first three, and maybe four, starting pitchers. At this moment, the first four members of the Red Sox rotation look about as good as any in baseball. It sure didn't seem that way just weeks ago. Jon Lester has been a blessing thus far. The bullpen still has question marks, but seems to be improving with the additions of Craig Hansen and Javier Lopez.
The defense is...well, record setting and unprecedented.
The offense has been the nice surprise. Trot Nixon has experienced a resurgence to the player he was prior to 2004, when injuries began to take their toll. Mike Lowell is a doubles machine, and though his power numbers are below his career averages, he's made a genuine contribution at the plate. Kevin Youkilis has outdone himself and surpassed all expectations. We've yet to see the true potential of newcomer Coco Crisp due to his lengthy trip to the DL, but he's expected to excel with continued plate appearances. Manny continues being Manny, and David Ortiz continues to establish himself as "the greatest clutch hitter in Red Sox history."
Last year's squad won 95 games and finished in a statistical tie with the Yankees at year's end. This year's team is more than halfway to that total, and the All-Star break is still a week away. And the best news is that the Sox will play more than half their post-break games at home, where their .730 winning percentage is tops in baseball.
So, far from a decline, this year's team is defying expectations, or living up to them -- depending on your perspective. But if this trend continues, the Red Sox could find themselves back in the playoffs yet again, and since they're better than last year, they just might get past the first round -- and who knows how far beyond that.
The more this team has changed, the more its success has remained the same -- and, in fact, gotten even better. So far, at least.
Let's hope the trend continues through October.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Friday, June 30, 2006
TRUTH IN ADVERTISING
Jason Johnson certainly had to be feeling the pressure as he took the mound for the Red Sox last night in Miami. Pitching in his very first game for the Sox, Johnson was entrusted with the task of maintaining the team's 12-game winning streak, third best in club history.
The big question was if Johnson would be up to that task. After all, he'd just recently been released by the woeful Cleveland Indians, who were seven games under .500 and fifteen games out of first place when he was designated for assignment.
And before the first inning was over, Johnson proved that his 55-94 career record was no fluke.
Some of us had reason to speculate that maybe Johnson's pitiful career record was the result on having played on such poor teams, the sort that had never won more than 78 games in his career. Perhaps he was never given enough run support. But then there was his dismal 5.96 ERA this year, which was only marginally better than his career ERA of 4.95. Maybe all of his teams, in each of ten assorted seasons, played poor defense. Some of us were optimistic, hopeful even.
So much for the benefit of the doubt. After giving up more hits and runs than innings pitched -- six hits and five runs in just four innings -- the 32-year-old Johnson reminded us that he should probably be in the minors, or perhaps thinking about the next phase of his life.
Right now, Johnson probably feels horrible. This was not a good way to introduce himself to his teammates, or the fans. But though he was facing the challenging task of maintaining the team's winning streak, taking the mound for this particular Red Sox team would be an ideal scenario for any pitcher. Though they lost to the Marlins tonight, the Sox set a new Major League record with their 17th straight errorless game. The Sox infield plays the kind of smooth, seamless defense that most pitchers can only dream of.
But Johnson couldn't take advantage of it, giving up three runs in the first and two more in the second, digging himself a big hole in the process. It was one that he, and the rest of the team, could never get out of. The big righty's command was entirely lacking; he hit two batters and uncorked a wild pitch that resulted in a run.
It was the wrong night for such a meltdown, as Johnson came up against a premiere young lefty and was completely overmatched by him. Dontrelle Willis yielded just two runs in seven strong innings. The D-Train gave up seven hits, while striking out seven, en route to his fifth win of the season. The Marlins' offseason fire sale has certainly hurt the record of last year's 22 game winner.
Johnson had a difficult time just recording outs; eight of the first eleven batters he faced reached base, and five of them scored. It should have been little surprise to anyone, including Theo Epstein. Tonight's loss was the fifth straight for Johnson, and the 11th in his last 12 outings. That's pathetic.
The large contingent of Red Sox Nation on hand -- resulting in the Marlins largest home crowd this year (32,194) -- let Johnson hear their displeasure. It'll be ugly if he has another outing like that at Fenway.
But it doesn't have to be this way. Many were wondering why Kyle Snyder, after his sharp performance at Fenway just twelve days ago, wasn't given the start. In five innings of work against the Nationals, the 6'8" Snyder had a career-high six strikeouts and allowed three runs on just four hits. Hopefully he'll be recalled from Pawtucket where he pitched effectively again this week.
It isn't that Johnson, and the Red Sox, lost and that a fantastic winning streak was broken. All streaks eventually have to end, as will this remarkable record-setting errorless streak. The problem was the futility with which Johnson pitched, how little control or confidence he displayed, and that he couldn't even keep his team in the game. He simply wasn't competitive tonight, and that won't inspire confidence in anyone else either.
Ultimately, Johnson came as advertised, and his ERA and record didn't lie. No one should feel deceived or let down. He did the best he could, as I'm sure he always has, but that just isn't good enough for a team hoping to reclaim a post-season birth and a World Series championship.
I never thought I'd long for Matt Clement so much. Get well soon, Matt.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
The big question was if Johnson would be up to that task. After all, he'd just recently been released by the woeful Cleveland Indians, who were seven games under .500 and fifteen games out of first place when he was designated for assignment.
And before the first inning was over, Johnson proved that his 55-94 career record was no fluke.
Some of us had reason to speculate that maybe Johnson's pitiful career record was the result on having played on such poor teams, the sort that had never won more than 78 games in his career. Perhaps he was never given enough run support. But then there was his dismal 5.96 ERA this year, which was only marginally better than his career ERA of 4.95. Maybe all of his teams, in each of ten assorted seasons, played poor defense. Some of us were optimistic, hopeful even.
So much for the benefit of the doubt. After giving up more hits and runs than innings pitched -- six hits and five runs in just four innings -- the 32-year-old Johnson reminded us that he should probably be in the minors, or perhaps thinking about the next phase of his life.
Right now, Johnson probably feels horrible. This was not a good way to introduce himself to his teammates, or the fans. But though he was facing the challenging task of maintaining the team's winning streak, taking the mound for this particular Red Sox team would be an ideal scenario for any pitcher. Though they lost to the Marlins tonight, the Sox set a new Major League record with their 17th straight errorless game. The Sox infield plays the kind of smooth, seamless defense that most pitchers can only dream of.
But Johnson couldn't take advantage of it, giving up three runs in the first and two more in the second, digging himself a big hole in the process. It was one that he, and the rest of the team, could never get out of. The big righty's command was entirely lacking; he hit two batters and uncorked a wild pitch that resulted in a run.
It was the wrong night for such a meltdown, as Johnson came up against a premiere young lefty and was completely overmatched by him. Dontrelle Willis yielded just two runs in seven strong innings. The D-Train gave up seven hits, while striking out seven, en route to his fifth win of the season. The Marlins' offseason fire sale has certainly hurt the record of last year's 22 game winner.
Johnson had a difficult time just recording outs; eight of the first eleven batters he faced reached base, and five of them scored. It should have been little surprise to anyone, including Theo Epstein. Tonight's loss was the fifth straight for Johnson, and the 11th in his last 12 outings. That's pathetic.
The large contingent of Red Sox Nation on hand -- resulting in the Marlins largest home crowd this year (32,194) -- let Johnson hear their displeasure. It'll be ugly if he has another outing like that at Fenway.
But it doesn't have to be this way. Many were wondering why Kyle Snyder, after his sharp performance at Fenway just twelve days ago, wasn't given the start. In five innings of work against the Nationals, the 6'8" Snyder had a career-high six strikeouts and allowed three runs on just four hits. Hopefully he'll be recalled from Pawtucket where he pitched effectively again this week.
It isn't that Johnson, and the Red Sox, lost and that a fantastic winning streak was broken. All streaks eventually have to end, as will this remarkable record-setting errorless streak. The problem was the futility with which Johnson pitched, how little control or confidence he displayed, and that he couldn't even keep his team in the game. He simply wasn't competitive tonight, and that won't inspire confidence in anyone else either.
Ultimately, Johnson came as advertised, and his ERA and record didn't lie. No one should feel deceived or let down. He did the best he could, as I'm sure he always has, but that just isn't good enough for a team hoping to reclaim a post-season birth and a World Series championship.
I never thought I'd long for Matt Clement so much. Get well soon, Matt.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Saturday, June 24, 2006
THE TENTH STARTER
Picking up Jason Johnson from the Indians wasn't much of a gamble for the Red Sox -- financially at least. Cleveland will pick up about half of Johnson's remaining $3.5 million salary this season, leaving just a $500,000 buyout on the remaining $4 million due next season. That won't break John Henry's bank.
Theo Epstein took the optimistic view that Johnson’s 2.85 to 1 ground ball to fly ball ratio -- third-best in the American League -- and the Sox number one defense would be a prefect match.
The gamble here is sending Johnson -- and his 55-94 career record -- to the mound every fifth day. It might be best if Johnson faces a lineup consisting solely of right-handed batters. Left-handed hitters are batting .403 against him. If you're not worried yet, Johnson has allowed the fourth most hits (108) and thrown the fifth most wild pitches (6) of any pitcher in the league.
At the least Johnson can eat up innings -- he's pitched at least 189 in four of his last five seasons. Let's hope the middle of the order homers twice... with men on base... every time he pitches.
Right now he's throwing better than David Wells or Lenny DiNardo, and no worse than Matt Clement. But in all fairness to the latter three, each of them is on the DL right now.
Johnson says that since he's never been on a team that had the chance to make the playoffs, he's excited to become a member of the Red Sox and get an opportunity to step up and pitch the way he knows he really can.
That first opportunity, or test (depending on how you see it), will come on Saturday against the Marlins in Florida. Johnson will be the tenth different pitcher to start a game for the Sox this season, joining a rotation that has struggled to find solid candidates for the four and five spots.
Welcome to Boston Mr. Johnson, and best of luck to you.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Theo Epstein took the optimistic view that Johnson’s 2.85 to 1 ground ball to fly ball ratio -- third-best in the American League -- and the Sox number one defense would be a prefect match.
The gamble here is sending Johnson -- and his 55-94 career record -- to the mound every fifth day. It might be best if Johnson faces a lineup consisting solely of right-handed batters. Left-handed hitters are batting .403 against him. If you're not worried yet, Johnson has allowed the fourth most hits (108) and thrown the fifth most wild pitches (6) of any pitcher in the league.
At the least Johnson can eat up innings -- he's pitched at least 189 in four of his last five seasons. Let's hope the middle of the order homers twice... with men on base... every time he pitches.
Right now he's throwing better than David Wells or Lenny DiNardo, and no worse than Matt Clement. But in all fairness to the latter three, each of them is on the DL right now.
Johnson says that since he's never been on a team that had the chance to make the playoffs, he's excited to become a member of the Red Sox and get an opportunity to step up and pitch the way he knows he really can.
That first opportunity, or test (depending on how you see it), will come on Saturday against the Marlins in Florida. Johnson will be the tenth different pitcher to start a game for the Sox this season, joining a rotation that has struggled to find solid candidates for the four and five spots.
Welcome to Boston Mr. Johnson, and best of luck to you.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
THE JUICE MAN?
Reliever Keith Foulke, on the 15-day disabled list since June 13 due to tendinitis in his right elbow, is still experiencing inflammation and isn't ready to throw yet. Foulke was scheduled to begin throwing on Monday, but his arm wasn't well enough to proceed as planned.
When asked about his recovery, Foulke sounded less than optimistic, saying that he still hoped to make something of the season. The reliever said that he was "unable to touch his face" over the weekend. That can hardly be viewed as a vote of confidence.
The 33-year-old has battled injuries the past two seasons and has appeared in only 72 games. He pitched in that many games in his first year with the Sox, during his run as the closer for the eventual 2004 World Series champions.
This season, Foulke is 2-1 with a 5.63 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 32 innings. Before 2005, Foulke had posted an ERA under 3.00 in six consecutive seasons.
Some have speculated that Foulke's sudden decline could be the result of steroid use, or perhaps other performance enhancing drugs such as human growth hormone (HGH) or insulin-like growth factor (IGF). Who's to say if the rumors have any merit, but Foulke did play in Oakland (the heart of BALCO country), has displayed a volatile personality, and experienced a rapid breakdown after a sharp rise to dominance from mediocrity. It's enough to lead some to wonder if he was on the juice.
We may never know. But then again, new names have been - and will continue to be - revealed as the MLB investigation proceeds. That reality is likely making a number of players very nervous, and perhaps enough to make Keith sweat.
When asked about his recovery, Foulke sounded less than optimistic, saying that he still hoped to make something of the season. The reliever said that he was "unable to touch his face" over the weekend. That can hardly be viewed as a vote of confidence.
The 33-year-old has battled injuries the past two seasons and has appeared in only 72 games. He pitched in that many games in his first year with the Sox, during his run as the closer for the eventual 2004 World Series champions.
This season, Foulke is 2-1 with a 5.63 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 32 innings. Before 2005, Foulke had posted an ERA under 3.00 in six consecutive seasons.
Some have speculated that Foulke's sudden decline could be the result of steroid use, or perhaps other performance enhancing drugs such as human growth hormone (HGH) or insulin-like growth factor (IGF). Who's to say if the rumors have any merit, but Foulke did play in Oakland (the heart of BALCO country), has displayed a volatile personality, and experienced a rapid breakdown after a sharp rise to dominance from mediocrity. It's enough to lead some to wonder if he was on the juice.
We may never know. But then again, new names have been - and will continue to be - revealed as the MLB investigation proceeds. That reality is likely making a number of players very nervous, and perhaps enough to make Keith sweat.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
ANOTHER CASTOFF REELED IN
With seven starting pitchers coming into spring training, the Red Sox never imagined that they'd be left with only three of them by June. Such is the improbability of baseball.
But just three months later, David Wells is unlikely to return, Matt Clement is a huge question mark, Lenny DiNrdo an unproven commodity, and all three of them are on the disabled list. The Red Sox have had to get creative, and resort to flotsam, to find their replacements.
GM Theo Epstein was able to acquire yet another castoff on Wednesday when he picked up right-handed sinkerballer Jason Johnson from the Indians. While the terms were reportedly a player to be named or cash, Theo Epstein indicated that the compensation to the Indians would simply be cash. Despite this, the Indians will still pay the bulk of of Johnson's remaining $4 million salary.
Cleveland designated Johnson for assignment on Tuesday and the Sox acted immediately to shore up their hobbled rotation. Johnson will make his debut for the Sox in a July 1 start at Florida, when the team will need a fifth starter once again. However, he was immediately added to the 25-man roster, and the newly acquired Kyle Snyder -- another unwanted and released pitcher -- was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket.
A veteran who's pitched in parts of nine Major League seasons, the 32-year-old Johnson was 3-8 with a 5.96 ERA in 14 starts for the Indians this year. He is third in the American League with a 2.85 ground ball-to-fly ball ratio, and should only benefit from the Sox impeccable, and Major League leading, defense.
The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Johnson is 55-94 with a 4.95 ERA in 229 Major League appearances, 213 of which have been as a starter. Last season, Johnson led the Tigers with 19 quality starts, going 8-13 with a 4.54 ERA.
Johnson's lackluster record may be a bit deceiving; the early years of his career were played for a weak Orioles team that never won more than 78 games in any of his five years there -- and as few as 63. Johnson's next stop was a two year stint with Detroit, pitching for a Tigers team that won 72 and 71 games, respectively. And this year, Johnson's Indians team was a disappointing seven games under .500 and fifteen games out of first place when he was designated.
The point is that bad teams don't just have bad pitchers -- they usually have bad defense and bad offense too. Yet Johnson may be as unimpressive as his ERA, or worse, his record. That remains to be seen, but it won't take long to find out.
One way or the other, with both Snyder and Johnson now in the organization, the Sox have inexpensively sought to improve their overall pitching depth. Epstein managed to preserve the farm system by not doling out the organization's talented prospects, and the trade deadline is still over a month away.
But we shouldn't hold our collective breath. With six AL teams in striking distance of an AL playoff spot, and nine in the NL, lots of teams will seeking to upgrade their pitching via deadline trades. The competition will be stiff, and the pickins' will be slim. There are no guarantees that Dontelle Willis, Barry Zito or Jason Schmidt will be available or obtainable. And if any of them are, the price will be steep. No one in Red Sox Nation would react well to a trade involving Jon Lester (especially after tonight's remarkable 6 inning, three hit, one run, 10 K outing) or Craig Hansen. And with the bullpen in such disarray, who really wants to part with hometown boy Manny Delcarmen at such an early stage in his career? Mike Timlin, Rudy Seanez, Keith Folke, and Julian Tavarez all could be gone next season and will need to be replaced. Delcarmen could be a part of the Sox bullpen for many years to come.
Expect Dustin Pedrioa and or David murphy to be traded before any of the young pitching talent. Until then, let's hope that a combination of Johnson and or Snyder can fill out the fifth spot and help the Sox win some games every fifth day against the competition's impotent bottom-of-the-rotation starters.
But just three months later, David Wells is unlikely to return, Matt Clement is a huge question mark, Lenny DiNrdo an unproven commodity, and all three of them are on the disabled list. The Red Sox have had to get creative, and resort to flotsam, to find their replacements.
GM Theo Epstein was able to acquire yet another castoff on Wednesday when he picked up right-handed sinkerballer Jason Johnson from the Indians. While the terms were reportedly a player to be named or cash, Theo Epstein indicated that the compensation to the Indians would simply be cash. Despite this, the Indians will still pay the bulk of of Johnson's remaining $4 million salary.
Cleveland designated Johnson for assignment on Tuesday and the Sox acted immediately to shore up their hobbled rotation. Johnson will make his debut for the Sox in a July 1 start at Florida, when the team will need a fifth starter once again. However, he was immediately added to the 25-man roster, and the newly acquired Kyle Snyder -- another unwanted and released pitcher -- was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket.
A veteran who's pitched in parts of nine Major League seasons, the 32-year-old Johnson was 3-8 with a 5.96 ERA in 14 starts for the Indians this year. He is third in the American League with a 2.85 ground ball-to-fly ball ratio, and should only benefit from the Sox impeccable, and Major League leading, defense.
The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Johnson is 55-94 with a 4.95 ERA in 229 Major League appearances, 213 of which have been as a starter. Last season, Johnson led the Tigers with 19 quality starts, going 8-13 with a 4.54 ERA.
Johnson's lackluster record may be a bit deceiving; the early years of his career were played for a weak Orioles team that never won more than 78 games in any of his five years there -- and as few as 63. Johnson's next stop was a two year stint with Detroit, pitching for a Tigers team that won 72 and 71 games, respectively. And this year, Johnson's Indians team was a disappointing seven games under .500 and fifteen games out of first place when he was designated.
The point is that bad teams don't just have bad pitchers -- they usually have bad defense and bad offense too. Yet Johnson may be as unimpressive as his ERA, or worse, his record. That remains to be seen, but it won't take long to find out.
One way or the other, with both Snyder and Johnson now in the organization, the Sox have inexpensively sought to improve their overall pitching depth. Epstein managed to preserve the farm system by not doling out the organization's talented prospects, and the trade deadline is still over a month away.
But we shouldn't hold our collective breath. With six AL teams in striking distance of an AL playoff spot, and nine in the NL, lots of teams will seeking to upgrade their pitching via deadline trades. The competition will be stiff, and the pickins' will be slim. There are no guarantees that Dontelle Willis, Barry Zito or Jason Schmidt will be available or obtainable. And if any of them are, the price will be steep. No one in Red Sox Nation would react well to a trade involving Jon Lester (especially after tonight's remarkable 6 inning, three hit, one run, 10 K outing) or Craig Hansen. And with the bullpen in such disarray, who really wants to part with hometown boy Manny Delcarmen at such an early stage in his career? Mike Timlin, Rudy Seanez, Keith Folke, and Julian Tavarez all could be gone next season and will need to be replaced. Delcarmen could be a part of the Sox bullpen for many years to come.
Expect Dustin Pedrioa and or David murphy to be traded before any of the young pitching talent. Until then, let's hope that a combination of Johnson and or Snyder can fill out the fifth spot and help the Sox win some games every fifth day against the competition's impotent bottom-of-the-rotation starters.
Monday, June 19, 2006
SNYDER'S SURPRISE
The scouting report on Kyle Snyder noted a good changeup and an average curve. That was only half right. In his first start for the Red Sox, Snyder threw the curve ball quite effectively, and at the end of the night came away with just his third big league victory.
In five solid innings, the vertically gifted righty had a career-high six strikeouts and allowed three runs on just four hits. Snyder's only miscues were the solo homers he surrendered to Jose Vidro and Jose Guillen, but because he allowed so few baserunners, those runs didn't come back to haunt him. Doing more than enough to keep his team in the game, Snyder came up with a performance no one could have predicted.
Coming into tonight's contest, the 28-year-old's major league record (spanning 2003 to 2006) was 2-9 over 29 games, including 19 starts. As unimpressive as the record was, Snyder's 5.91 ERA was equally unflattering. And this season, with Triple A Omaha, he was 0-4 in 10 games (nine starts), with a 3.88 ERA, 43 K's and just nine walks in 60 1/3 innings.
So whatever Snyder's shortcomings were, control wasn't one of them.
But in his only appearance with Kansas City this year, Snyder allowed nine runs (five earned) on 10 hits in two-plus innings. That June 8th debacle was enough for the Royals, and they put the 6'8" righty on waivers. The Red Sox, as desperate as they are for pitching, were willing to take a flier on a guy who couldn't find a spot in the worst rotation in baseball.
Good move for the Sox, it seems. Apparently someone did their homework on Snyder and perhaps he can be of help to the team again this season. The speculation was that Snyder would be sent down to Pawtucket after this start, but his sharp performance likely turned some heads, and perhaps changed some minds. Immediate word after the game was that Jermaine Van Buren was optioned to Pawtucket and Craig Hansen was recalled. Snyder remains safe, at least for now. Jon Lester may fill David Wells spot in the rotation -- to which he may never return -- but Matt Clement remains a question mark, at best, and Snyder could come in handy again this season. It's still only June.
Sure, the game had other highlights; Manny Ramirez's 453 career home run, which moved him past Carl Yastremzski and Jim Thome, and into a tie with Gary Sheffield for 28th on baseball's career list; Gabe Kapler's return to the starting lineup for the first time since rupturing his Achilles' tendon last Sept. (his eventful return included two hits, highlighted by an RBI double, and a fine catch in right); and four scoreless innings from the combination of Van Buren, Javier Lopez (each of whom also started the season in Triple-A), Rudy Seanez and Mike Timlin, who earned his first save of the year.
So there was good news all around, but none better than the surprise performance of power-forward-sized pitcher who seemingly came out of nowhere and may have earned himself a place in the rotation in the process -- or at least another start in coming weeks.
In five solid innings, the vertically gifted righty had a career-high six strikeouts and allowed three runs on just four hits. Snyder's only miscues were the solo homers he surrendered to Jose Vidro and Jose Guillen, but because he allowed so few baserunners, those runs didn't come back to haunt him. Doing more than enough to keep his team in the game, Snyder came up with a performance no one could have predicted.
Coming into tonight's contest, the 28-year-old's major league record (spanning 2003 to 2006) was 2-9 over 29 games, including 19 starts. As unimpressive as the record was, Snyder's 5.91 ERA was equally unflattering. And this season, with Triple A Omaha, he was 0-4 in 10 games (nine starts), with a 3.88 ERA, 43 K's and just nine walks in 60 1/3 innings.
So whatever Snyder's shortcomings were, control wasn't one of them.
But in his only appearance with Kansas City this year, Snyder allowed nine runs (five earned) on 10 hits in two-plus innings. That June 8th debacle was enough for the Royals, and they put the 6'8" righty on waivers. The Red Sox, as desperate as they are for pitching, were willing to take a flier on a guy who couldn't find a spot in the worst rotation in baseball.
Good move for the Sox, it seems. Apparently someone did their homework on Snyder and perhaps he can be of help to the team again this season. The speculation was that Snyder would be sent down to Pawtucket after this start, but his sharp performance likely turned some heads, and perhaps changed some minds. Immediate word after the game was that Jermaine Van Buren was optioned to Pawtucket and Craig Hansen was recalled. Snyder remains safe, at least for now. Jon Lester may fill David Wells spot in the rotation -- to which he may never return -- but Matt Clement remains a question mark, at best, and Snyder could come in handy again this season. It's still only June.
Sure, the game had other highlights; Manny Ramirez's 453 career home run, which moved him past Carl Yastremzski and Jim Thome, and into a tie with Gary Sheffield for 28th on baseball's career list; Gabe Kapler's return to the starting lineup for the first time since rupturing his Achilles' tendon last Sept. (his eventful return included two hits, highlighted by an RBI double, and a fine catch in right); and four scoreless innings from the combination of Van Buren, Javier Lopez (each of whom also started the season in Triple-A), Rudy Seanez and Mike Timlin, who earned his first save of the year.
So there was good news all around, but none better than the surprise performance of power-forward-sized pitcher who seemingly came out of nowhere and may have earned himself a place in the rotation in the process -- or at least another start in coming weeks.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
PAPELBON MOVES ALONG
On Friday night, in Atlanta, Red Sox rookie closer Jonathan Papelbon picked up his 21st save of the season, moving into a tie with Jeff Reardon (21 in 1990). In doing so, Papelbon passed Rick Aguilera (20 in 1995), John Wyatt (20 in 1967), and Sparky Lyle (20 in 1970) on the Sox single-season saves list.
Then this afternoon, the power-pitching rookie matched Dick Radatz (1965) and Bob Stanley (1984) with his 22nd save of the season.
Believe it or not, with just two more saves (which will likely come before this month is over), the hard-throwing youngster will, incredibly, enter the top ten for single-season saves by a Red Sox closer. That 24th save will also tie the Sox rookie record for saves, currently held by Dick Radatz.
Next up, each with 24 saves, are Derek Lowe (2001), Tom Burgmeier (1980), and Dick Radatz (1962) -- good enough for 10th place on the list.
As promised, I will continue to update Papelbon's performances and chart his progress as he moves along. With each successive outing, Papelbon continues to make his case for Rookie of the Year. As it stands, the Louisiana native's 20 successful save opportunities to start this season are an MLB rookie record.
Here's a look at the Red Sox all-time single-season saves leaders:
1. Tom Gordon - 46 saves in 1998
2. Derek Lowe - 42 saves in 2000
T- 3.Ugueth Urbina - 40 saves in 2002
Jeff Reardon - 40 saves 1991
T- 4. Jeff Russell - 33 saves in 1993
Bob Stanley - 33 saves 1n 1983
5. Keith Foulke - 32 saves in 2004
T- 6. Heathcliff Slocumb - 31 saves in 1996
Bill Campbell - 31 saves in 1977
T- 7. Lee Smith - 29 saves in 1988
Dick Radatz - 29 saves in 1964
T- 8. Jeff Reardon - 27 saves in 1992
Ellis Kinder - 27 saves in 1953
T- 9. Lee Smith - 25 saves in 1989
Dick Radatz - 25 saves in 1963
T- 10. Derek Lowe - 24 saves in 2001
Tom Burgmeier - 24 Saves in 1980
Dick Radatz - 24 saves in 1962
Then this afternoon, the power-pitching rookie matched Dick Radatz (1965) and Bob Stanley (1984) with his 22nd save of the season.
Believe it or not, with just two more saves (which will likely come before this month is over), the hard-throwing youngster will, incredibly, enter the top ten for single-season saves by a Red Sox closer. That 24th save will also tie the Sox rookie record for saves, currently held by Dick Radatz.
Next up, each with 24 saves, are Derek Lowe (2001), Tom Burgmeier (1980), and Dick Radatz (1962) -- good enough for 10th place on the list.
As promised, I will continue to update Papelbon's performances and chart his progress as he moves along. With each successive outing, Papelbon continues to make his case for Rookie of the Year. As it stands, the Louisiana native's 20 successful save opportunities to start this season are an MLB rookie record.
Here's a look at the Red Sox all-time single-season saves leaders:
1. Tom Gordon - 46 saves in 1998
2. Derek Lowe - 42 saves in 2000
T- 3.Ugueth Urbina - 40 saves in 2002
Jeff Reardon - 40 saves 1991
T- 4. Jeff Russell - 33 saves in 1993
Bob Stanley - 33 saves 1n 1983
5. Keith Foulke - 32 saves in 2004
T- 6. Heathcliff Slocumb - 31 saves in 1996
Bill Campbell - 31 saves in 1977
T- 7. Lee Smith - 29 saves in 1988
Dick Radatz - 29 saves in 1964
T- 8. Jeff Reardon - 27 saves in 1992
Ellis Kinder - 27 saves in 1953
T- 9. Lee Smith - 25 saves in 1989
Dick Radatz - 25 saves in 1963
T- 10. Derek Lowe - 24 saves in 2001
Tom Burgmeier - 24 Saves in 1980
Dick Radatz - 24 saves in 1962
Thursday, June 15, 2006
TRADE RAISES QUESTIONS
The Red Sox acquisition of 28-year-old lefty reliever Javier Lopez from the White Sox is a curious one.
Lopez is 2-1, with 12 saves and a stingy 0.55 earned run average, in 26 appearances for Triple-A Charlotte of the International League.
Lopez has held lefthanded hitters to a lowly .171 (6-35) batting average. Equally impressive, Lopez's groundball/flyball ratio is 64/25 (72%), the second best in the International League and fourth best in all of professional baseball (MLB and minors) among pitchers with at least 30 innings pitched.
The question is, why would the White Sox let go of a reliever with such impressive stats in exchange for David Riske, a reliever who proved himself to be inconsistent and unreliable (0-1 with a 3.72 ERA in eight relief appearances) for the Red Sox this season.
Lopez has not allowed a run in his last 9.1 innings over eight appearances. But of concern is his 6.09 ERA over three big league seasons (2003-05). However, as a big leaguer, Lopez has allowed just 22% (26 of 118) of inherited runners to score while holding lefthanded batters to a .246 batting average.
And since Lopez set a Rockies' rookie record with 75 appearances in 2003, issuing just two earned runs in his first 30 appearances, one has to wonder why Colorado let him go, and why he's been pitching in Triple A for the White Sox?
As for Riske, Theo Epstein said his expendability was due to the team's glut of righthanded relievers, hinting that the trade could also clear room for the eventual return of Craig Hansen.
Though Sox' relievers rank sixth in the American League with a 4.29 ERA, even Epstein acknowledged that it's hard to believe, since only Jonathan Papelbon and Mike Timlin have shown consistency. "Behind [those two] we're looking for someone to step up. We really need someone to assert themselves there and help Tito."
Something had to be done. On Sunday, Keith Foulke pitched just two innings, surrendering four runs on seven hits, with two strikeouts and one wild pitch, before going on the DL.
On Tuesday night, Julian Tavarez hit a batter, gave up a ground rule double, and intentionally walked the next batter, before surrendering a walk-off grand slam to Jason Kubel in the 12th inning. Tavarez has now allowed eight runs in just seven innings this month.
Then last night, Jermaine Van Buren allowed a single and three walks in the sixth - walking in a run - before exiting with the bases loaded. His successor, Manny Delcarmen, threw a 3-and-1 fastball to Justin Morneau which went soaring to the opposite field for a grand slam.
The two grand slams -- both hit by lefthanded hitters off righthanded pitchers -- highlighted the Sox' need for a lefthander, something their bullpen had lacked, until now.
But the pen isn't the only concern. With David Wells' status uncertain, Lenny DiNardo's ineffectiveness before going on the DL, David Pauley showing the need for more fine-tuning in Triple A, and Mattt Clement looking like a shadow of the free agent pitcher the Red Sox signed in the winter of 2004, more help will be needed in the starting rotation.
Epstein said the Sox will continue to look internally for starting pitching, but acknowledged that he will also explore options outside the organization, and look to the trade market in an effort to fulfill the team's needs.
As will every other contender.
Lopez is 2-1, with 12 saves and a stingy 0.55 earned run average, in 26 appearances for Triple-A Charlotte of the International League.
Lopez has held lefthanded hitters to a lowly .171 (6-35) batting average. Equally impressive, Lopez's groundball/flyball ratio is 64/25 (72%), the second best in the International League and fourth best in all of professional baseball (MLB and minors) among pitchers with at least 30 innings pitched.
The question is, why would the White Sox let go of a reliever with such impressive stats in exchange for David Riske, a reliever who proved himself to be inconsistent and unreliable (0-1 with a 3.72 ERA in eight relief appearances) for the Red Sox this season.
Lopez has not allowed a run in his last 9.1 innings over eight appearances. But of concern is his 6.09 ERA over three big league seasons (2003-05). However, as a big leaguer, Lopez has allowed just 22% (26 of 118) of inherited runners to score while holding lefthanded batters to a .246 batting average.
And since Lopez set a Rockies' rookie record with 75 appearances in 2003, issuing just two earned runs in his first 30 appearances, one has to wonder why Colorado let him go, and why he's been pitching in Triple A for the White Sox?
As for Riske, Theo Epstein said his expendability was due to the team's glut of righthanded relievers, hinting that the trade could also clear room for the eventual return of Craig Hansen.
Though Sox' relievers rank sixth in the American League with a 4.29 ERA, even Epstein acknowledged that it's hard to believe, since only Jonathan Papelbon and Mike Timlin have shown consistency. "Behind [those two] we're looking for someone to step up. We really need someone to assert themselves there and help Tito."
Something had to be done. On Sunday, Keith Foulke pitched just two innings, surrendering four runs on seven hits, with two strikeouts and one wild pitch, before going on the DL.
On Tuesday night, Julian Tavarez hit a batter, gave up a ground rule double, and intentionally walked the next batter, before surrendering a walk-off grand slam to Jason Kubel in the 12th inning. Tavarez has now allowed eight runs in just seven innings this month.
Then last night, Jermaine Van Buren allowed a single and three walks in the sixth - walking in a run - before exiting with the bases loaded. His successor, Manny Delcarmen, threw a 3-and-1 fastball to Justin Morneau which went soaring to the opposite field for a grand slam.
The two grand slams -- both hit by lefthanded hitters off righthanded pitchers -- highlighted the Sox' need for a lefthander, something their bullpen had lacked, until now.
But the pen isn't the only concern. With David Wells' status uncertain, Lenny DiNardo's ineffectiveness before going on the DL, David Pauley showing the need for more fine-tuning in Triple A, and Mattt Clement looking like a shadow of the free agent pitcher the Red Sox signed in the winter of 2004, more help will be needed in the starting rotation.
Epstein said the Sox will continue to look internally for starting pitching, but acknowledged that he will also explore options outside the organization, and look to the trade market in an effort to fulfill the team's needs.
As will every other contender.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
PAPELBON'S POWER & PROWESS
Rookie Jonathan Papelbon's consecutive saves streak was finally snapped on Friday night, and yet he still earned a win for his efforts. But along the way, during the extraordinary streak, Papelbon joined Dennis Eckersley as the only two closers to go a perfect 20 for 20 in save opportunities.
What Papelbon has done so far this year has been quite remarkable. After going 10-10 in save opportunities to start the season, Papelbon was named the American League Rookie of the Month for April. Then on May 26, when he recorded his 17th save against the Devil Rays, Papelbon set a rookie record for most successful save opportunities to start a season. And with just five more saves, Papelbon will set a new Red Sox rookie record for single-season saves, currently held by Dick Radatz (24).
Presently sitting atop 20 saves, Papelbon is already tied with Rick Aguilera, Jim Willoughby, and Jack Wilson for 24th place on the Red Sox all time saves list. The young closer is on pace for 57 saves this season, which would be a new single-season club record, and good enough for 9th place on the all-time club list.
Papelbon is now tied with three former Red Sox closers who each had 20 saves in season; Rick Aguilera (1995), John Wyatt (1967), and Sparky Lyle (1970). The hard-throwing youngster will soon pass Jeff Reardon (21 in 1990), Dick Radatz ( 22 in 1965) and Bob Stanley (22 in 1984) on the single season saves list. After that -- and likely before the month is over -- Papelbon will incredibly move into the top ten list for single-season saves by a Sox closer.
Here's a look at the Sox single-season saves leaders:
1. Tom Gordon 46 saves in 1998
2. Derek Lowe 42 saves in 2000
T- 3.Ugueth Urbina 40 saves in 2002
Jeff Reardon 40 saves 1991
T- 4. Jeff Russell 33 saves in 1993
Bob Stanley 33 saves 1n 1983
5. Keith Foulke 32 saves in 2004
T- 6. Heathcliff Slocumb 31 saves in 1996
Bill Campbell 31 saves in 1977
T- 7. Lee Smith 29 saves in 1988
Dick Radatz 29 saves in 1964
T- 8. Jeff Reardon 27 saves in 1992
Ellis Kinder 27 saves in 1953
T- 9. Lee Smith 25 saves in 1989
Dick Radatz 25 saves in 1963
T- 10. Derek Lowe 24 saves in 2001
Tom Burgmeier 24 Saves in 1980
Dick Radatz 24 saves in 1962
Moving forward, I will update Papelbon's efforts and chart his progress as he moves up the list. What we are witnessing is extraordinary and quite unique. Papelbon will certainly be a candidate for Rookie of the Year, and quite possibly for the Cy Young Award, as well.
The Red Sox are quite fortunate to have Jonathan Papelbon in their bullpen, and Red Sox Nation is certainly fortunate to be able to bear witness to his remarkable exploits and achievements this season.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
What Papelbon has done so far this year has been quite remarkable. After going 10-10 in save opportunities to start the season, Papelbon was named the American League Rookie of the Month for April. Then on May 26, when he recorded his 17th save against the Devil Rays, Papelbon set a rookie record for most successful save opportunities to start a season. And with just five more saves, Papelbon will set a new Red Sox rookie record for single-season saves, currently held by Dick Radatz (24).
Presently sitting atop 20 saves, Papelbon is already tied with Rick Aguilera, Jim Willoughby, and Jack Wilson for 24th place on the Red Sox all time saves list. The young closer is on pace for 57 saves this season, which would be a new single-season club record, and good enough for 9th place on the all-time club list.
Papelbon is now tied with three former Red Sox closers who each had 20 saves in season; Rick Aguilera (1995), John Wyatt (1967), and Sparky Lyle (1970). The hard-throwing youngster will soon pass Jeff Reardon (21 in 1990), Dick Radatz ( 22 in 1965) and Bob Stanley (22 in 1984) on the single season saves list. After that -- and likely before the month is over -- Papelbon will incredibly move into the top ten list for single-season saves by a Sox closer.
Here's a look at the Sox single-season saves leaders:
1. Tom Gordon 46 saves in 1998
2. Derek Lowe 42 saves in 2000
T- 3.Ugueth Urbina 40 saves in 2002
Jeff Reardon 40 saves 1991
T- 4. Jeff Russell 33 saves in 1993
Bob Stanley 33 saves 1n 1983
5. Keith Foulke 32 saves in 2004
T- 6. Heathcliff Slocumb 31 saves in 1996
Bill Campbell 31 saves in 1977
T- 7. Lee Smith 29 saves in 1988
Dick Radatz 29 saves in 1964
T- 8. Jeff Reardon 27 saves in 1992
Ellis Kinder 27 saves in 1953
T- 9. Lee Smith 25 saves in 1989
Dick Radatz 25 saves in 1963
T- 10. Derek Lowe 24 saves in 2001
Tom Burgmeier 24 Saves in 1980
Dick Radatz 24 saves in 1962
Moving forward, I will update Papelbon's efforts and chart his progress as he moves up the list. What we are witnessing is extraordinary and quite unique. Papelbon will certainly be a candidate for Rookie of the Year, and quite possibly for the Cy Young Award, as well.
The Red Sox are quite fortunate to have Jonathan Papelbon in their bullpen, and Red Sox Nation is certainly fortunate to be able to bear witness to his remarkable exploits and achievements this season.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS
The bad news tonight was that the Red Sox lost to the Yankees again, falling 1 1/2 games behind New York in the AL East standings.
The good news was that it was a close game (2-1), largely due to the efforts of rookie pitcher David Pauley, who was making just his second Major League start. Going 6 2/3 innings, Pauley scattered eight hits and gave up just two runs against the potent Yankee offense.
A sinker ball pitcher, the 22-year-old kept the ball down and recorded 13 ground outs, five fly outs, and two strike outs. In all, Pauley threw 98 pitches, 61 for strikes.
The only blemish on Pauley's otherwise impressive night was a solo shot to Bernie Williams in the fifth. Pauley was cruising along through the seventh, retiring the first two batters of the inning, before giving up an infield single to Miguel Cairo on a groundball that just slipped under his glove. He'd love to have that one back. Johnny Damon singled immediately, followed by a four-pitch walk to Melky Cabrera. Bases loaed.
The unreliable Rudy Seanez came on in relief and quickly proceed to walk in the winning run. Pauley deserved better. Sure, he was responsible for the runners on base, but what kind of reliever walks in the winning run? Julian Taverez walked in a couple last week, but that lead was too big to blow despite Mr. T's efforts. The Sox bullpen has issues.
The starting rotation has its own issues, such as what happened to Josh Beckett in game one, Matt Clement in general, and who the fifth starter will be. The first two remain a mystery, but judging by tonight's performance in hostile Yankee stadium, the Sox may have found their fifth starter -- or some insurance in the event that David Wells can come back and be effective. Even if that happens, the Sox are just an injury -- or a mental meltdown -- away from needing Pauley's services again, and may consider themselves fortunate to have found a determined young sinker baller pitching in Double A ball.
Who would have thunk it?
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
The good news was that it was a close game (2-1), largely due to the efforts of rookie pitcher David Pauley, who was making just his second Major League start. Going 6 2/3 innings, Pauley scattered eight hits and gave up just two runs against the potent Yankee offense.
A sinker ball pitcher, the 22-year-old kept the ball down and recorded 13 ground outs, five fly outs, and two strike outs. In all, Pauley threw 98 pitches, 61 for strikes.
The only blemish on Pauley's otherwise impressive night was a solo shot to Bernie Williams in the fifth. Pauley was cruising along through the seventh, retiring the first two batters of the inning, before giving up an infield single to Miguel Cairo on a groundball that just slipped under his glove. He'd love to have that one back. Johnny Damon singled immediately, followed by a four-pitch walk to Melky Cabrera. Bases loaed.
The unreliable Rudy Seanez came on in relief and quickly proceed to walk in the winning run. Pauley deserved better. Sure, he was responsible for the runners on base, but what kind of reliever walks in the winning run? Julian Taverez walked in a couple last week, but that lead was too big to blow despite Mr. T's efforts. The Sox bullpen has issues.
The starting rotation has its own issues, such as what happened to Josh Beckett in game one, Matt Clement in general, and who the fifth starter will be. The first two remain a mystery, but judging by tonight's performance in hostile Yankee stadium, the Sox may have found their fifth starter -- or some insurance in the event that David Wells can come back and be effective. Even if that happens, the Sox are just an injury -- or a mental meltdown -- away from needing Pauley's services again, and may consider themselves fortunate to have found a determined young sinker baller pitching in Double A ball.
Who would have thunk it?
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
DRAFT DAY DELIGHTS
The marathon 50-round baseball draft began today and finishes tomorrow. Of particular note, the Red Sox had four of the first 44 picks, and seven of the first 103.
With nine selections in the first five rounds, the Red Sox, are tied with the Braves for the most picks. Though the top of the draft was widely regarded as weak, without any obvious "can't-miss" prospects, early indications are that the Sox have done well.
With their first pick, at number 27, the Sox chose high school center fielder Jason Place. The 6'3", 205-pound, 18-year-old hit .478 over the course of his high school career, including .544 this season. Scouts see Place as a five-tool player.
As a result of the free agent loss of Johnny Damon, the Sox also had the 28th pick and used it to select Daniel Bard, a 6'4", 200-pound pitcher from UNC Chapel Hill. The 20-year old righty is projected as a No. 1 or No. 2 pitcher in the majors.
With five of their seven remaining picks, the Sox chose pitchers -- three righties and two lefties. Four are college players and one is a high schooler.
The Sox were also in search of a catcher and some power bats to fill out their system. With that in mind, the Sox chose Jonathan Still, a 6'3" 215-pound catcher from North Carolina State University. The 21-year-old bats right and is considered a solid power hitter. The Sox also chose first baseman Aaron Bates from North Carolina State. Another power hitter, the 6'4", 232-pound Bates is rated as one of the best hitters in this year's class.
The draft hasn't been good to the Sox in over a decade. Before Craig Hansen, who was chosen No. 26 overall last year, the last Sox first-round pick to reach the majors with the club was Nomar Garciaparra, taken in 1994.
There are plenty of superstars who've slipped in previous drafts -- Dontrelle Willis (eighth round, 2000), Albert Pujols (13th round, 1999), Roy Oswalt (23d round, 1996), Mark Buehrle (38th round, 1998), and Mike Piazza (62d round, 1988).
Lets hope the Sox have landed a gem of their own.
With nine selections in the first five rounds, the Red Sox, are tied with the Braves for the most picks. Though the top of the draft was widely regarded as weak, without any obvious "can't-miss" prospects, early indications are that the Sox have done well.
With their first pick, at number 27, the Sox chose high school center fielder Jason Place. The 6'3", 205-pound, 18-year-old hit .478 over the course of his high school career, including .544 this season. Scouts see Place as a five-tool player.
As a result of the free agent loss of Johnny Damon, the Sox also had the 28th pick and used it to select Daniel Bard, a 6'4", 200-pound pitcher from UNC Chapel Hill. The 20-year old righty is projected as a No. 1 or No. 2 pitcher in the majors.
With five of their seven remaining picks, the Sox chose pitchers -- three righties and two lefties. Four are college players and one is a high schooler.
The Sox were also in search of a catcher and some power bats to fill out their system. With that in mind, the Sox chose Jonathan Still, a 6'3" 215-pound catcher from North Carolina State University. The 21-year-old bats right and is considered a solid power hitter. The Sox also chose first baseman Aaron Bates from North Carolina State. Another power hitter, the 6'4", 232-pound Bates is rated as one of the best hitters in this year's class.
The draft hasn't been good to the Sox in over a decade. Before Craig Hansen, who was chosen No. 26 overall last year, the last Sox first-round pick to reach the majors with the club was Nomar Garciaparra, taken in 1994.
There are plenty of superstars who've slipped in previous drafts -- Dontrelle Willis (eighth round, 2000), Albert Pujols (13th round, 1999), Roy Oswalt (23d round, 1996), Mark Buehrle (38th round, 1998), and Mike Piazza (62d round, 1988).
Lets hope the Sox have landed a gem of their own.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
HOW GOOD ARE THEY?
With their win today, combined with a Yankee loss, the Red Sox once again find themselves back atop the AL East standings after a brief, one day, fall into second. How good is this year's team?
Well compared to last year's club, which won 95 games and got into the playoffs, pretty comparable.
Through 54 games, this is how the current team stacks up to last year's edition:
2006 2005
Wins 33 30
HR 67 57
OBP .366 .361
Team Average .278 .280
Team ERA .460 .476
Saves 21 12
HR Allowed 66 52
Errors 20 36
So what does this infer? Well, for starters, this team is at least as good as last year's -- if wins are the primary indicator -- and secondarily, the power hitting has improved (to the surprise of many) while the team's ability to hit and get on base has remained about exactly the same. Concerns about an offensive decline were premature and overstated.
Perhaps the most eye-popping statistic is how far the team's error total has fallen, which bears out Theo Epstein's commitment to defense this year. That's been of great benefit to Sox pitchers, though their numbers don't necessarily bear that out. Just think of how much worse things could be.
The team's Achilles' heel last year was pitching, and -- though it was advertised to be much improved -- pitching is this team's significant weakness once again. The team ERA has improved just marginally, but the homers allowed are way up. The one shining success is the bullpens' 36 saves. Rookie Jonathan Papelbon has already singlehandedly amassed as many saves (20) as the entire bullpen did collectively in 2005. That's a marked improvement, and one we can all be grateful for.
The most amazing thing, however, is that the Sox have managed to be this successful despite the middling contributions of Matt Clement (now finally over .500 but with a 6.68 ERA) and Tim Wakefield (4-7, 4.05 ERA). Even Josh Beckett is now sporting a 4.46 ERA, though that's overshadowed by his 7-2 record. But most of all, the rotation has been without a regular fifth starter all year, and has gotten mostly weak efforts from David Wells, Lenny DinArdo, and David Pauley. Pauley will continue his trial by fire this week in the Bronx, but he'll be on a short leash and won't be given much room for error.
Because of the double-header on Saturday against Texas, the Sox will likely call up 22-year-old lefty Jon Lester to make his Major League debut. Hopefully he's as good as all the hype that's surrounded him for the past couple of years, because at this point the beleaguered rotation could use an injection of talented, capable youth. As we saw last year, offense will only take a club so far -- namely a first round playoff exit, if they're lucky to get that far again. The AL is much more competitive this year. Wining the division may provide the only invitation to the post season.
In the meantime, the Sox will remain patient at the plate and try to keep feasting on opposing pitchers.
As Tiger rookie pitcher Zach Miner said, "That's probably the best-hitting team in baseball, and they just wouldn't swing at anything out of the strike zone."
That plate discipline and patience have worked wonders so far this year, and were on display again today as David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez hit two of Boston's four homers and drew two of its three bases-loaded walks in the Sox victory.
The Sox will need more of that, and they'll also need some pitching help from either inside or outside the organization, if they're to fight their way back into the post season again and repeat the World Series glory of 2004.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Well compared to last year's club, which won 95 games and got into the playoffs, pretty comparable.
Through 54 games, this is how the current team stacks up to last year's edition:
2006 2005
Wins 33 30
HR 67 57
OBP .366 .361
Team Average .278 .280
Team ERA .460 .476
Saves 21 12
HR Allowed 66 52
Errors 20 36
So what does this infer? Well, for starters, this team is at least as good as last year's -- if wins are the primary indicator -- and secondarily, the power hitting has improved (to the surprise of many) while the team's ability to hit and get on base has remained about exactly the same. Concerns about an offensive decline were premature and overstated.
Perhaps the most eye-popping statistic is how far the team's error total has fallen, which bears out Theo Epstein's commitment to defense this year. That's been of great benefit to Sox pitchers, though their numbers don't necessarily bear that out. Just think of how much worse things could be.
The team's Achilles' heel last year was pitching, and -- though it was advertised to be much improved -- pitching is this team's significant weakness once again. The team ERA has improved just marginally, but the homers allowed are way up. The one shining success is the bullpens' 36 saves. Rookie Jonathan Papelbon has already singlehandedly amassed as many saves (20) as the entire bullpen did collectively in 2005. That's a marked improvement, and one we can all be grateful for.
The most amazing thing, however, is that the Sox have managed to be this successful despite the middling contributions of Matt Clement (now finally over .500 but with a 6.68 ERA) and Tim Wakefield (4-7, 4.05 ERA). Even Josh Beckett is now sporting a 4.46 ERA, though that's overshadowed by his 7-2 record. But most of all, the rotation has been without a regular fifth starter all year, and has gotten mostly weak efforts from David Wells, Lenny DinArdo, and David Pauley. Pauley will continue his trial by fire this week in the Bronx, but he'll be on a short leash and won't be given much room for error.
Because of the double-header on Saturday against Texas, the Sox will likely call up 22-year-old lefty Jon Lester to make his Major League debut. Hopefully he's as good as all the hype that's surrounded him for the past couple of years, because at this point the beleaguered rotation could use an injection of talented, capable youth. As we saw last year, offense will only take a club so far -- namely a first round playoff exit, if they're lucky to get that far again. The AL is much more competitive this year. Wining the division may provide the only invitation to the post season.
In the meantime, the Sox will remain patient at the plate and try to keep feasting on opposing pitchers.
As Tiger rookie pitcher Zach Miner said, "That's probably the best-hitting team in baseball, and they just wouldn't swing at anything out of the strike zone."
That plate discipline and patience have worked wonders so far this year, and were on display again today as David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez hit two of Boston's four homers and drew two of its three bases-loaded walks in the Sox victory.
The Sox will need more of that, and they'll also need some pitching help from either inside or outside the organization, if they're to fight their way back into the post season again and repeat the World Series glory of 2004.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
OH NO, THE SKY IS FALLING
What an adventure for the Red Sox bullpen this weekend.
Rudy Seanez's three walks in the ninth on Sunday were a disaster in the making, and when Julian Tavarez walked in two runs later that inning it was the sad culmination of their combined ineptitude. Many of us had never seen anything quite like it. Neither pitcher could throw strikes.
The Red Sox bullpen has proven itself to be thin and quite suspect. Neither the starting rotation or the bullpen has the depth of a playoff team, much less a World Series Champion. They will be a busy team at the deadline.
Though the Sox swept the D-Rays in four straight over the weekend, and sit atop the AL East with a 30-19 record, there's still reason for concern.
With ten pitchers on the staff, the team can only rely on four -- Schilling, Beckett, Timlin, and Papelbon -- and Timlin is on the DL.
Timlin landed on the DL with a "tired arm," and at the age of 40 that's worrisome. After all, it's still only May. Keith Foulke is a roll of the dice each time he takes the mound. There's been no consistency in any of his performances.
At this point, the Red Sox are in the unfortunate position of relying on David Wells, and his ability to return to his former self. That's a lot to ask of an overweight 43-year-old with a bad knee. As of now, Terry Francona says there are no plans to put Wells back on the DL, where he's already spent 43 days due that surgically repaired right knee. At the least, Wells will miss his next scheduled start tomorrow, and the team has yet to announce who will take his spot.
Sure, the Sox could turn to Lenny DiNardo, Jon Lester, or even Craig Hansen, but the major consideration is that none of them has yet proven himself to be an effective big league pitcher. In fact, DiNardo has shown himself to be mostly ineffective. As for filling out the unreliable bullpen, Manny Delcarmen and Jermaine Van Buren will see action, but neither of them has proven himself a reliable big league reliever as of yet either.
With Papelbon's success as the closer, combined with the fact that he loves the role and says he doesn't even think about starting anymore, the Sox are attempting to covert Hansen to a starter.
Hansen made his third start of the season Saturday for Triple A Pawtucket, allowing only one hit and no runs over four innings, walking four and striking out three while lowering his ERA to 2.29. In his three starts he's 0-1 with a 1.54 ERA.
The organization is being very careful with his pitch counts and the number of innings he works. The plan is to move him along slowly since he's not used to pitching extended innings. He may be needed in Boston before the year is over, and they don't want him to have a tired arm.
In the meantime, the Sox are going to need some outside help, and where they've begun their search isn't encouraging. Word is they've been scouting the Minnesota's Kyle Lohse, who was recently demoted to Triple A after being totally ineffective for the Twins this season. Before being sent down, Lohse had compiled a record of 2-4, to go along with a frightening 8.92 ERA. In 38-1/3 innings, Lohse had surrendered an appalling 57 hits for 38 earned runs. He'd managed just 24 strikeouts, to go along with 19 walks, and opponents were batting .420 against him.
However, for what its worth, Lohse has pitched very well against minor league hitters since the demotion. The Sox were looking at him last year in deadline trade talks.
So it would appear that the Sox had better have a good contingency plan. As always, every competitive team will be seeking pitching help in the coming months, and there's only so much talent to go around. And what is available will likely be free agents that will cost the highest bidder some valuable prospects. There will be no shortage of suitors for Dontrelle Willis, Barry Zito, and Jason Schmidt, should they be available. Kelvim Escobar's name has even been mentioned, though it's difficult to imagine what would provoke a big market, big money team to part with such an outstanding young talent. The Angels are having an off year, but the club has been competitive the past few years and is only three seasons removed from a World Series Championship.
Because of the cost in young talent that any trade will result in, the free agent signing of Roger Clemens is all the more appealing to both the Sox and Yankees. That puts Clemens squarely in the driver's seat, and he'll get whatever he wants. The Sox will have to wait and see. We should know of Clemens' decision in a week or so, but the odds are he'll stay in Houston.
In the meantime, the Sox can only hope that Wells has a remarkable recovery, and that Matt Clement discovers something deep inside that even he isn't aware he possesses right now.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Rudy Seanez's three walks in the ninth on Sunday were a disaster in the making, and when Julian Tavarez walked in two runs later that inning it was the sad culmination of their combined ineptitude. Many of us had never seen anything quite like it. Neither pitcher could throw strikes.
The Red Sox bullpen has proven itself to be thin and quite suspect. Neither the starting rotation or the bullpen has the depth of a playoff team, much less a World Series Champion. They will be a busy team at the deadline.
Though the Sox swept the D-Rays in four straight over the weekend, and sit atop the AL East with a 30-19 record, there's still reason for concern.
With ten pitchers on the staff, the team can only rely on four -- Schilling, Beckett, Timlin, and Papelbon -- and Timlin is on the DL.
Timlin landed on the DL with a "tired arm," and at the age of 40 that's worrisome. After all, it's still only May. Keith Foulke is a roll of the dice each time he takes the mound. There's been no consistency in any of his performances.
At this point, the Red Sox are in the unfortunate position of relying on David Wells, and his ability to return to his former self. That's a lot to ask of an overweight 43-year-old with a bad knee. As of now, Terry Francona says there are no plans to put Wells back on the DL, where he's already spent 43 days due that surgically repaired right knee. At the least, Wells will miss his next scheduled start tomorrow, and the team has yet to announce who will take his spot.
Sure, the Sox could turn to Lenny DiNardo, Jon Lester, or even Craig Hansen, but the major consideration is that none of them has yet proven himself to be an effective big league pitcher. In fact, DiNardo has shown himself to be mostly ineffective. As for filling out the unreliable bullpen, Manny Delcarmen and Jermaine Van Buren will see action, but neither of them has proven himself a reliable big league reliever as of yet either.
With Papelbon's success as the closer, combined with the fact that he loves the role and says he doesn't even think about starting anymore, the Sox are attempting to covert Hansen to a starter.
Hansen made his third start of the season Saturday for Triple A Pawtucket, allowing only one hit and no runs over four innings, walking four and striking out three while lowering his ERA to 2.29. In his three starts he's 0-1 with a 1.54 ERA.
The organization is being very careful with his pitch counts and the number of innings he works. The plan is to move him along slowly since he's not used to pitching extended innings. He may be needed in Boston before the year is over, and they don't want him to have a tired arm.
In the meantime, the Sox are going to need some outside help, and where they've begun their search isn't encouraging. Word is they've been scouting the Minnesota's Kyle Lohse, who was recently demoted to Triple A after being totally ineffective for the Twins this season. Before being sent down, Lohse had compiled a record of 2-4, to go along with a frightening 8.92 ERA. In 38-1/3 innings, Lohse had surrendered an appalling 57 hits for 38 earned runs. He'd managed just 24 strikeouts, to go along with 19 walks, and opponents were batting .420 against him.
However, for what its worth, Lohse has pitched very well against minor league hitters since the demotion. The Sox were looking at him last year in deadline trade talks.
So it would appear that the Sox had better have a good contingency plan. As always, every competitive team will be seeking pitching help in the coming months, and there's only so much talent to go around. And what is available will likely be free agents that will cost the highest bidder some valuable prospects. There will be no shortage of suitors for Dontrelle Willis, Barry Zito, and Jason Schmidt, should they be available. Kelvim Escobar's name has even been mentioned, though it's difficult to imagine what would provoke a big market, big money team to part with such an outstanding young talent. The Angels are having an off year, but the club has been competitive the past few years and is only three seasons removed from a World Series Championship.
Because of the cost in young talent that any trade will result in, the free agent signing of Roger Clemens is all the more appealing to both the Sox and Yankees. That puts Clemens squarely in the driver's seat, and he'll get whatever he wants. The Sox will have to wait and see. We should know of Clemens' decision in a week or so, but the odds are he'll stay in Houston.
In the meantime, the Sox can only hope that Wells has a remarkable recovery, and that Matt Clement discovers something deep inside that even he isn't aware he possesses right now.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
SCHILLING'S QUEST FOR 200
Only 103 pitchers in Major League history have won at least 200 games. Sitting atop 199 career wins, Curt Schilling will be next to join them. And that could come as soon as tonight, against the Devil Rays at Fenway.
The crop of current major league pitchers with 200 wins includes Greg Maddux (323), Tom Glavine (282), Randy Johnson (269), Mike Mussina (230), David Wells (227), Jamie Moyer (207) and Pedro Martinez (202). With 341 victories, Roger Clemens has not pitched this season and has yet to declare if he intends to return or retire. Interestingly, MLB has not removed Clemens' name from the active career leaders list.
The most recent member of the 200 win club is Martinez, who became the seventh current major league pitcher to accomplish the feat on April 17. The three-time Cy Young Award winner is 202-84, the fewest losses for any of the 103 pitchers with 200 wins.
Over the course of his 17-year career, playing for five different teams, Schilling has pitched with three of the pitchers in that elite, and still active, cadre -- Johnson, Martinez, and Wells.
When Schilling notches his next win, he will become just the fourth pitcher to earn his 200th career victory in a Red Sox uniform, joining Lefty Grove (Aug. 8, 1938, over Philadelphia), Ferguson Jenkins (July 27, 1976, against Cleveland), and Luis Tiant (Aug. 16, 1978, against California). But no pitcher has ever won 200 games playing for the Red Sox; Cy Young and Roger Clemens each won 192 playing for the club.
Most pitchers would be extremely fortunate to pitch 10 years in the Majors. The mean career length for pitchers is just 4.8 years. Obviously, a pitcher would have to win 20 games a year for ten years to reach the 200 plateau -- an incredible feat. The point is that as rare as it is for a pitcher to win 200 games, it's just as rare for most of them to ever pitch enough seasons to even begin approaching the milestone. In fact, only 31 pitchers have had careers of 20 years or longer, which explains why so few (22) have reached baseball immortality by earning 300 career victories.
But Schilling's effectiveness is not relegated to the past. The 22 hurlers in the "300 club" had an average age of 38.5 the last time each won 10 or more games in a single season. Schilling is going for win number eight tonight, and it's only late May. The big righty is 39.5 and still going strong, even after major reconstructive surgery just a year-and-half ago.
Because of the modern five-man rotation, an adherence to 100 pitch outings, and relief pitchers, 300 wins is a milestone that has become evermore difficult to reach. A cursory look at the active wins list, and you'll see that the Mets' Tom Glavine may well be the last pitcher to ever reach 300 victories.
Even 200 wins is hard to come by these days. Kenny Rogers (197) will get there, as will John Smoltz (181), and perhaps even Andy Pettite (175) -- but don't count on it. And after that, it's anybody's guess. So enjoy Schilling's accomplishment for what it is; an extraordinary feat in the modern era.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
The crop of current major league pitchers with 200 wins includes Greg Maddux (323), Tom Glavine (282), Randy Johnson (269), Mike Mussina (230), David Wells (227), Jamie Moyer (207) and Pedro Martinez (202). With 341 victories, Roger Clemens has not pitched this season and has yet to declare if he intends to return or retire. Interestingly, MLB has not removed Clemens' name from the active career leaders list.
The most recent member of the 200 win club is Martinez, who became the seventh current major league pitcher to accomplish the feat on April 17. The three-time Cy Young Award winner is 202-84, the fewest losses for any of the 103 pitchers with 200 wins.
Over the course of his 17-year career, playing for five different teams, Schilling has pitched with three of the pitchers in that elite, and still active, cadre -- Johnson, Martinez, and Wells.
When Schilling notches his next win, he will become just the fourth pitcher to earn his 200th career victory in a Red Sox uniform, joining Lefty Grove (Aug. 8, 1938, over Philadelphia), Ferguson Jenkins (July 27, 1976, against Cleveland), and Luis Tiant (Aug. 16, 1978, against California). But no pitcher has ever won 200 games playing for the Red Sox; Cy Young and Roger Clemens each won 192 playing for the club.
Most pitchers would be extremely fortunate to pitch 10 years in the Majors. The mean career length for pitchers is just 4.8 years. Obviously, a pitcher would have to win 20 games a year for ten years to reach the 200 plateau -- an incredible feat. The point is that as rare as it is for a pitcher to win 200 games, it's just as rare for most of them to ever pitch enough seasons to even begin approaching the milestone. In fact, only 31 pitchers have had careers of 20 years or longer, which explains why so few (22) have reached baseball immortality by earning 300 career victories.
But Schilling's effectiveness is not relegated to the past. The 22 hurlers in the "300 club" had an average age of 38.5 the last time each won 10 or more games in a single season. Schilling is going for win number eight tonight, and it's only late May. The big righty is 39.5 and still going strong, even after major reconstructive surgery just a year-and-half ago.
Because of the modern five-man rotation, an adherence to 100 pitch outings, and relief pitchers, 300 wins is a milestone that has become evermore difficult to reach. A cursory look at the active wins list, and you'll see that the Mets' Tom Glavine may well be the last pitcher to ever reach 300 victories.
Even 200 wins is hard to come by these days. Kenny Rogers (197) will get there, as will John Smoltz (181), and perhaps even Andy Pettite (175) -- but don't count on it. And after that, it's anybody's guess. So enjoy Schilling's accomplishment for what it is; an extraordinary feat in the modern era.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
STAND OR FALL
The Red Sox were advertised as a team built on pitching and defense this year. So far, that's been mostly, but not entirely true.
To begin with, their starting pitching has been good, thanks to Curt Schilling (7-2. 3.80 ERA) and Josh Beckett (7-1, 3.80 ERA), but not great. After all, Tim Wakefield, the designated number two starter, is 3-6 with a 4.57 ERA. Some would argue that he hasn't been given adequate run support, but that doesn't explain the ERA. Then there's Matt Clement, with his 4-4 record and disturbing 6.31 ERA. And the Lenny DiNardo experiment didn't fare so well.
Yet, the Sox have battled through, not knowing who their number five starter will be. Instead they've relied on Schilling, Beckett, and the incredible defense that ranks number one in the AL, with only 15 errors in 45 games. But that isn't all. The Sox have discovered a surprisingly potent offense to go along with their stellar defense.
For all the talk of how much offense the Sox sacrificed to put a greater emphasis on pitching and defense, the offense has been quite similar to last season's explosive team. The Sox are hitting .281, sixth best in baseball, and slightly better than the average they had through this time last season. They're averaging 5.5 runs, nearly identical to last season's 5.6 average, and have hit home runs at roughly the same pace as well (53 in 45 games this season).
But questions about the starting rotation persist. Does anyone really believe that this staff, as currently constructed, can advance to the World Series, much less win it? I'd say they're clearly one starter short of that objective.
So, tonight was a big night in David Wells' quest to prove that, at age 43, he still has what it takes to pitch in the Bigs -- namely an indefatigable left arm, plus pinpoint accuracy and control.
And Wells didn't disappoint. In 4 1/3 innings, Wells gave up five hits, and only one run. Wells customary accuracy was once again on display, as he didn't issue a single walk. Forty one of his fifty three pitches were strikes, an impressive 77% ratio.
But then disaster struck, or more namely a line drive off the bat of Travis Lee in the fifth inning, and Wells was down for the count. Initial reports are that the injury is just a deep bone bruise to is surgically repaired right knee, and it may not be career threatening. We'll know more in the coming days, but let's hope for the best. Boomer looked impressive in his short stint on the mound at Fenway.
Even if he is able to return, whether or not Wells is the long-term solution for the remainder of the 2006 season is entirely unknown. His worn knee could still fail him, and the team, at any time.
There's always the possibility, or fantasy, of Roger Clemens coming back to Fenway as a Red Sox. But how old and stale has that story become? Clemens has been perpetually set to retire since 2003, and he still can't seem to make up his mind. And it should be noted that although he had great success in the NL, his last five seasons in the AL (all with the Yankees) resulted in an ERA of 4.01. That's certainly better than Wakefield and Clement, but Clemens will also be 44 in August. Simply put, he'll never again be the pitcher he once was, and to expect as much is to welcome disappointment. The legendary pitcher he was in the 80's and 90's is no longer. Clemens will be a shadow of his former self if he returns to the AL once again, even if he pitches for only half a season. That's not to say that Clemens wouldn't help the Sox, but there may be better alternatives available.
It would be nice to see the Sox to make a run at Dontrelle Willis. The D-Train would be a fine addition to the Sox staff, and would anchor the rotation for the next decade. But to get him they'd need to part with highly touted prospect Jon Lester.
In nine starts at Pawtucket this season, Lester is 3-4 with a 3.13 ERA. In 37 innings, he's given up just 33 hits and 13 earned runs. If that's not impressive enough, Lester has 37 K's and only 17 walks. Lefthanders are hitting just .120 (3 for 25) against him, righthanders .254 (30 for 118), and 60% of his pitches have been strikes. Impressive numbers. His losing record is clearly deceiving. Since he's averaging more than one strikeout, and less than one hit, per inning, it's evident that Lester isn't getting much run support. We could see him in the rotation before the year is out, if he's not traded for Willis.
Willis is the only kind of player the club could conceivably move Lester for. But why would the Sox trade one 22-year-old lefty for another 24-year-old lefty? It's simple. One is already a proven Big League commodity, while the other simply possesses potential. There are plenty of "can't miss" kids in Triple A who miss in the Majors. Does anyone remember Brain Rose? How about Carl Pavano? Other than one good season, his career has been marked by nothing but hype, and injuries.
So, the Sox will have to maintain their hot bats, and their remarkable defense. We'll wish the best for David Wells, meanwhile hoping that Clemens shows up in a Sox jersey or, even better, that the Sox can ride the D-Train to World Series glory.
Barring any of that, Jon Lester may be able to -- may have to -- make a meaningful contribution before the year is over, much like Jonathan Papelbon did last year. But putting such outsized expectations on a rookie is both unfair and unrealistic.
The more likely scenario is that the Sox will need to go out and make a trade for a veteran pitcher -- likely a free agent -- at the trade deadline, just like every other contender will be attempting to do.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
To begin with, their starting pitching has been good, thanks to Curt Schilling (7-2. 3.80 ERA) and Josh Beckett (7-1, 3.80 ERA), but not great. After all, Tim Wakefield, the designated number two starter, is 3-6 with a 4.57 ERA. Some would argue that he hasn't been given adequate run support, but that doesn't explain the ERA. Then there's Matt Clement, with his 4-4 record and disturbing 6.31 ERA. And the Lenny DiNardo experiment didn't fare so well.
Yet, the Sox have battled through, not knowing who their number five starter will be. Instead they've relied on Schilling, Beckett, and the incredible defense that ranks number one in the AL, with only 15 errors in 45 games. But that isn't all. The Sox have discovered a surprisingly potent offense to go along with their stellar defense.
For all the talk of how much offense the Sox sacrificed to put a greater emphasis on pitching and defense, the offense has been quite similar to last season's explosive team. The Sox are hitting .281, sixth best in baseball, and slightly better than the average they had through this time last season. They're averaging 5.5 runs, nearly identical to last season's 5.6 average, and have hit home runs at roughly the same pace as well (53 in 45 games this season).
But questions about the starting rotation persist. Does anyone really believe that this staff, as currently constructed, can advance to the World Series, much less win it? I'd say they're clearly one starter short of that objective.
So, tonight was a big night in David Wells' quest to prove that, at age 43, he still has what it takes to pitch in the Bigs -- namely an indefatigable left arm, plus pinpoint accuracy and control.
And Wells didn't disappoint. In 4 1/3 innings, Wells gave up five hits, and only one run. Wells customary accuracy was once again on display, as he didn't issue a single walk. Forty one of his fifty three pitches were strikes, an impressive 77% ratio.
But then disaster struck, or more namely a line drive off the bat of Travis Lee in the fifth inning, and Wells was down for the count. Initial reports are that the injury is just a deep bone bruise to is surgically repaired right knee, and it may not be career threatening. We'll know more in the coming days, but let's hope for the best. Boomer looked impressive in his short stint on the mound at Fenway.
Even if he is able to return, whether or not Wells is the long-term solution for the remainder of the 2006 season is entirely unknown. His worn knee could still fail him, and the team, at any time.
There's always the possibility, or fantasy, of Roger Clemens coming back to Fenway as a Red Sox. But how old and stale has that story become? Clemens has been perpetually set to retire since 2003, and he still can't seem to make up his mind. And it should be noted that although he had great success in the NL, his last five seasons in the AL (all with the Yankees) resulted in an ERA of 4.01. That's certainly better than Wakefield and Clement, but Clemens will also be 44 in August. Simply put, he'll never again be the pitcher he once was, and to expect as much is to welcome disappointment. The legendary pitcher he was in the 80's and 90's is no longer. Clemens will be a shadow of his former self if he returns to the AL once again, even if he pitches for only half a season. That's not to say that Clemens wouldn't help the Sox, but there may be better alternatives available.
It would be nice to see the Sox to make a run at Dontrelle Willis. The D-Train would be a fine addition to the Sox staff, and would anchor the rotation for the next decade. But to get him they'd need to part with highly touted prospect Jon Lester.
In nine starts at Pawtucket this season, Lester is 3-4 with a 3.13 ERA. In 37 innings, he's given up just 33 hits and 13 earned runs. If that's not impressive enough, Lester has 37 K's and only 17 walks. Lefthanders are hitting just .120 (3 for 25) against him, righthanders .254 (30 for 118), and 60% of his pitches have been strikes. Impressive numbers. His losing record is clearly deceiving. Since he's averaging more than one strikeout, and less than one hit, per inning, it's evident that Lester isn't getting much run support. We could see him in the rotation before the year is out, if he's not traded for Willis.
Willis is the only kind of player the club could conceivably move Lester for. But why would the Sox trade one 22-year-old lefty for another 24-year-old lefty? It's simple. One is already a proven Big League commodity, while the other simply possesses potential. There are plenty of "can't miss" kids in Triple A who miss in the Majors. Does anyone remember Brain Rose? How about Carl Pavano? Other than one good season, his career has been marked by nothing but hype, and injuries.
So, the Sox will have to maintain their hot bats, and their remarkable defense. We'll wish the best for David Wells, meanwhile hoping that Clemens shows up in a Sox jersey or, even better, that the Sox can ride the D-Train to World Series glory.
Barring any of that, Jon Lester may be able to -- may have to -- make a meaningful contribution before the year is over, much like Jonathan Papelbon did last year. But putting such outsized expectations on a rookie is both unfair and unrealistic.
The more likely scenario is that the Sox will need to go out and make a trade for a veteran pitcher -- likely a free agent -- at the trade deadline, just like every other contender will be attempting to do.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
WAS THAT THE MEASURE OF A CHAMPION?
It's hard to imagine that Ricky Hatton won over very many American fans in his pursuit of the WBA welterweight crown against Luis Collazo on Saturday night at the "new" Garden. (I refuse to call it by any of its other corporate names).
Hatton looked more like a wild street brawler than a highly trained professional boxer. There was very little skill on display during his quest for Collazo's title. The Manchester, U.K. native looked sloppy and overanxious as he threw wide, looping punches that left him wide open and quite vulnerable. A better boxer -- such as Oscar De La Hoya or Floyd Mayweather Jr. -- would have picked him apart. Hatton's defense -- or what passed for it -- looked awful. If we're grading on aggressiveness, determination and a dogged pursuit of one's opponent, then he looked, well... aggressive, determined, and dogged. His opponent, Collazo, hardly gave a better account of himself. Mostly he looked confused and at times exasperated.
Both fighters were guilty of far too much holding. The bout looked more like a wrestling match than a contest between two skilled, world-class boxers. There was an outrageous amount of hugging going on, to the point that it appeared the pair were slow dancing. Ultimately, it was a very disappointing match up. Quite deservedly, we who watched had a right to expect more from a championship fight, and the combatants who participated.
Hatton was very lucky to have been granted a decision, and his record remains unblemished. Though he can now call himself a champion, what amounted to a horribly disappointing, and amateur looking, contest should have been declared a draw.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Hatton looked more like a wild street brawler than a highly trained professional boxer. There was very little skill on display during his quest for Collazo's title. The Manchester, U.K. native looked sloppy and overanxious as he threw wide, looping punches that left him wide open and quite vulnerable. A better boxer -- such as Oscar De La Hoya or Floyd Mayweather Jr. -- would have picked him apart. Hatton's defense -- or what passed for it -- looked awful. If we're grading on aggressiveness, determination and a dogged pursuit of one's opponent, then he looked, well... aggressive, determined, and dogged. His opponent, Collazo, hardly gave a better account of himself. Mostly he looked confused and at times exasperated.
Both fighters were guilty of far too much holding. The bout looked more like a wrestling match than a contest between two skilled, world-class boxers. There was an outrageous amount of hugging going on, to the point that it appeared the pair were slow dancing. Ultimately, it was a very disappointing match up. Quite deservedly, we who watched had a right to expect more from a championship fight, and the combatants who participated.
Hatton was very lucky to have been granted a decision, and his record remains unblemished. Though he can now call himself a champion, what amounted to a horribly disappointing, and amateur looking, contest should have been declared a draw.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
THE REPLACEMENTS
After becoming World Series champions in 2004, the Red Sox decided to tinker with what got them there and replaced starting pitchers Derek Lowe and Pedro MartÃnez with David Wells and Matt Clement.
Those decisions seem highly dubious, in retrospect.
Despite his 12-15 record last year, the 32-year-old Lowe made a career-high 35 starts and pitched 222 innings for the Dodgers, finishing the year with a respectable 3.61 ERA.
And though his 1-2 record might indicate otherwise, Lowe has pitched very well again this season, as evidenced by his 2.98 ERA. In his last seven starts, Lowe hasn't allowed more than two earned runs, and in his last five starts has a 1.57 ERA.
Martinez, the 34-year-old former Cy Young winner, is now 5-0 with a 3.19 ERA. In 53.2 innings, he's given up just 30 hits while striking out 62 and walking just 16.
Last season, he went 15-8 with a 2.82 ERA. Despite concerns about his overworked shoulder, Pedro made 31 starts and pitched 217 innings. And as usual, he struck out over 200 batters yet again. Pedro proved himself durable, and can still fool hitters with a variety of pitches other than just his fastball.
Meanwhile, the 31-year-old Clement is 3-3 with an unimpressive 5.58 ERA. In 40 innings he's surrendered 45 hits with 29 strike outs and 21 walks.
Last season, after an encouraging start, Clement nosed dived following the All Star break and finished the year at 13-6 with a 4.57 ERA. The record was deceiving, however. Clement went 9-1 before the break and 4-5 after.
Clement received an average of 6.88 runs of support per 9 innings, 3rd-highest in all of baseball behind teammate David Wells (7.97) and the Rangers' Chris Young (7.32). Clement benefited from the fact that the Red Sox scored 146 runs when he pitched, the 5th-highest total in baseball.
And after posting an impressive, 15-7 record (albeit with the aid of the best run support in baseball), Wells is now on the DL with a bum knee, an 0-1 record, and a frightening 15.75 ERA, after just one start. Wells was even shelled against minor league hitters in his single rehab start following spring training.
The 43-year-old lefty has a continuing weight problem, and seems allergic to exercise. Training and conditioning are clearly not part of his off season repertoire. The team kindly lists him at 250 pounds, a very conservative report to be sure. The 6'3" Wells is probably more like 275, if we're being honest. Put it this way, Jonathan Papelbon is listed at 6'4", 230. Does anyone really believe that Wells is only 20 pounds heavier? The reason this is an issue is because Wells knee can't support his girth, and as a result, it may have ended his career. Though his rubber arm likely had more than enough good innings still left in it, Wells right knee may never again allow him to pitch effectively at the Major League level.
So the Sox are left hoping that Roger Clemens will come to their rescue, or perhaps even Dontrelle Willis, in a trade deadline deal.
But the young lefthander Willis, who won 22 games last season, has a 9.97 ERA (24 earned runs in 21 2/3 innings) in his last four starts, all losses. Willis hasn't looked good since the start of the season, continuing a trend that began during the World Baseball Classic.
Sure, it's easy to to be a Monday morning quarterback, but the Sox management are the professionals who get paid professional money to foresee these types of things before they come to pass. From where the Sox stand today, Clement and Wells for Pedro and Lowe seems to be an utterly failed experiment.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Those decisions seem highly dubious, in retrospect.
Despite his 12-15 record last year, the 32-year-old Lowe made a career-high 35 starts and pitched 222 innings for the Dodgers, finishing the year with a respectable 3.61 ERA.
And though his 1-2 record might indicate otherwise, Lowe has pitched very well again this season, as evidenced by his 2.98 ERA. In his last seven starts, Lowe hasn't allowed more than two earned runs, and in his last five starts has a 1.57 ERA.
Martinez, the 34-year-old former Cy Young winner, is now 5-0 with a 3.19 ERA. In 53.2 innings, he's given up just 30 hits while striking out 62 and walking just 16.
Last season, he went 15-8 with a 2.82 ERA. Despite concerns about his overworked shoulder, Pedro made 31 starts and pitched 217 innings. And as usual, he struck out over 200 batters yet again. Pedro proved himself durable, and can still fool hitters with a variety of pitches other than just his fastball.
Meanwhile, the 31-year-old Clement is 3-3 with an unimpressive 5.58 ERA. In 40 innings he's surrendered 45 hits with 29 strike outs and 21 walks.
Last season, after an encouraging start, Clement nosed dived following the All Star break and finished the year at 13-6 with a 4.57 ERA. The record was deceiving, however. Clement went 9-1 before the break and 4-5 after.
Clement received an average of 6.88 runs of support per 9 innings, 3rd-highest in all of baseball behind teammate David Wells (7.97) and the Rangers' Chris Young (7.32). Clement benefited from the fact that the Red Sox scored 146 runs when he pitched, the 5th-highest total in baseball.
And after posting an impressive, 15-7 record (albeit with the aid of the best run support in baseball), Wells is now on the DL with a bum knee, an 0-1 record, and a frightening 15.75 ERA, after just one start. Wells was even shelled against minor league hitters in his single rehab start following spring training.
The 43-year-old lefty has a continuing weight problem, and seems allergic to exercise. Training and conditioning are clearly not part of his off season repertoire. The team kindly lists him at 250 pounds, a very conservative report to be sure. The 6'3" Wells is probably more like 275, if we're being honest. Put it this way, Jonathan Papelbon is listed at 6'4", 230. Does anyone really believe that Wells is only 20 pounds heavier? The reason this is an issue is because Wells knee can't support his girth, and as a result, it may have ended his career. Though his rubber arm likely had more than enough good innings still left in it, Wells right knee may never again allow him to pitch effectively at the Major League level.
So the Sox are left hoping that Roger Clemens will come to their rescue, or perhaps even Dontrelle Willis, in a trade deadline deal.
But the young lefthander Willis, who won 22 games last season, has a 9.97 ERA (24 earned runs in 21 2/3 innings) in his last four starts, all losses. Willis hasn't looked good since the start of the season, continuing a trend that began during the World Baseball Classic.
Sure, it's easy to to be a Monday morning quarterback, but the Sox management are the professionals who get paid professional money to foresee these types of things before they come to pass. From where the Sox stand today, Clement and Wells for Pedro and Lowe seems to be an utterly failed experiment.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
CLEMENS' NEW MOTIVATION
On Thursday night, Randy Johnson became just the third pitcher to reach the 4,400-strikeout plateau when he fanned the Devil Rays Nick Green in the fourth inning. The 5-2 Johnson trails only Nolan Ryan (5,714) and Roger Clemens (4,502) on the career list.
Knowing just how competitive Clemens is -- and how important his stats are to him in relation to his place in baseball history -- Johnson's achievement may be all the incentive he needs to return for yet another go around. If Clemens decides not to play, Johnson will pass him and move into second place before this season is over.
It's hard to imagine Clemens letting the 42-year-old Johnson surpass him, knowing that the Yankee lefty is nearing the finish line in his career as well. Clemens surely thinks he is the better pitcher of the two -- even now, at this late stage of their careers.
If a 37 or 38-year-old pitcher was closing in on him, one who appeared to have at least a few good years still in reserve, then Clemens would likely accept the inevitable with a begrudging acceptance that everyone gets old and eventually has to retire. But there's no way he's going down to one of his peers -- certainly not another 40-something.
So bet on Clemens returning. The only question now is, to which team?
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Knowing just how competitive Clemens is -- and how important his stats are to him in relation to his place in baseball history -- Johnson's achievement may be all the incentive he needs to return for yet another go around. If Clemens decides not to play, Johnson will pass him and move into second place before this season is over.
It's hard to imagine Clemens letting the 42-year-old Johnson surpass him, knowing that the Yankee lefty is nearing the finish line in his career as well. Clemens surely thinks he is the better pitcher of the two -- even now, at this late stage of their careers.
If a 37 or 38-year-old pitcher was closing in on him, one who appeared to have at least a few good years still in reserve, then Clemens would likely accept the inevitable with a begrudging acceptance that everyone gets old and eventually has to retire. But there's no way he's going down to one of his peers -- certainly not another 40-something.
So bet on Clemens returning. The only question now is, to which team?
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELLS
A week ago, Sox left-hander David Wells sounded like a defeated man who was ready to hang 'em up and call it a career. But the Boomer has suddenly had a change of heart.
Wells, believes he may have turned the corner while rehabbing his surgically repaired right knee. The rotund lefty said he had good day while throwing on Tuesday, and there haven't been many of those since he went on the DL on April 15. Perhaps the latest round of Synvisc joint lubricating shots did the trick.
"I'm getting a lot better," Wells said. "It's been two days in a row and I've thrown all my pitches off flat ground and I wasn't able to do that after the Toronto series. To do that and feel nothing, that's pretty positive for me."
But could the Synvisc alone be responsible for this renewed motivation? Or could it be the incentive-laden contract that could pay him as much as $8 million this season, based on appearances? Wells is suddenly raring to go, and he doesn't want to waste time in Pawtuckett with a silly tune up.
Wells said he plans to throw a side session next, and if his knee responds well. "Then, go to a start. Throw me out to the wolves. I've done that before, I don't mind it. Why waste a start?"
What would be a waste is putting an ill-prepared, out of shape pitcher on the mound to face big league pitching -- especially when it went so miserably last time (4 2/3 innings, 10 hits and 7 ER in an embarrassing loss to the Blue Jays).
Wells has been grossly overconfident since spring training, when he asserted he was ready to immediately join the rotation -- even though he'd had limited preparation due to his injury and rehab. But after being forced to accept a tune up start he felt was below him, he proceeded to get shelled by AAA hitters (7 runs and 6 hits in 5 innings) last month.
The Sox should've seen this coming during the winter and traded Wells for a prospect -- even a bag of balls -- when there was some semblance of a market for him. Anything would've been better than this. Though he may say otherwise, Wells hasn't shown any genuine evidence that his desire to pitch is motivated by anything other than money. And even that hasn't been particularly motivating. Wells has consistently shown lack of commitment to training and conditioning and doesn't even begin to resemble a top-flight professional athlete. That's very unfortunate, and it's what separates him from a contemporary like Roger Clemens who, at the same age, continues to perform remarkably due to his dedication and commitment.
Wells would rather sit home, drink beer, and count his millions.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Wells, believes he may have turned the corner while rehabbing his surgically repaired right knee. The rotund lefty said he had good day while throwing on Tuesday, and there haven't been many of those since he went on the DL on April 15. Perhaps the latest round of Synvisc joint lubricating shots did the trick.
"I'm getting a lot better," Wells said. "It's been two days in a row and I've thrown all my pitches off flat ground and I wasn't able to do that after the Toronto series. To do that and feel nothing, that's pretty positive for me."
But could the Synvisc alone be responsible for this renewed motivation? Or could it be the incentive-laden contract that could pay him as much as $8 million this season, based on appearances? Wells is suddenly raring to go, and he doesn't want to waste time in Pawtuckett with a silly tune up.
Wells said he plans to throw a side session next, and if his knee responds well. "Then, go to a start. Throw me out to the wolves. I've done that before, I don't mind it. Why waste a start?"
What would be a waste is putting an ill-prepared, out of shape pitcher on the mound to face big league pitching -- especially when it went so miserably last time (4 2/3 innings, 10 hits and 7 ER in an embarrassing loss to the Blue Jays).
Wells has been grossly overconfident since spring training, when he asserted he was ready to immediately join the rotation -- even though he'd had limited preparation due to his injury and rehab. But after being forced to accept a tune up start he felt was below him, he proceeded to get shelled by AAA hitters (7 runs and 6 hits in 5 innings) last month.
The Sox should've seen this coming during the winter and traded Wells for a prospect -- even a bag of balls -- when there was some semblance of a market for him. Anything would've been better than this. Though he may say otherwise, Wells hasn't shown any genuine evidence that his desire to pitch is motivated by anything other than money. And even that hasn't been particularly motivating. Wells has consistently shown lack of commitment to training and conditioning and doesn't even begin to resemble a top-flight professional athlete. That's very unfortunate, and it's what separates him from a contemporary like Roger Clemens who, at the same age, continues to perform remarkably due to his dedication and commitment.
Wells would rather sit home, drink beer, and count his millions.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
COULD GONZO BE A GONER?
There are rumblings that the Red Sox are growing impatient with shortstop Alex Gonzalez's offensive ineptitude.
The Sox committed to a one-year deal with Gonzalez due to his defensive prowess, knowing that his career .243 average could be a liability at the plate. But in his first month with the Red Sox, Gonzalez hit just .186 with no homers and four RBIs. His paltry .275 on-base percentage has virtually assured an automatic out in each plate appearance. That weak presence in the order can be a rally killer, and only exacerbates the Sox disturbing trend of leaving men on base this year.
Reports have surfaced that indicate the Sox may engage in trade talks with the Dodgers for Cesar Izturis as soon as he comes off the disabled list. The 26-year-old Izturis, an All-Star last year, saw his season cut short when he was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis in his right elbow, which required season-ending Tommy John surgery. In 2004, Izturis earned his first Gold Glove award, so defensively he would be on par with Gonzalez. Izturis and Alex Cora were a fantastic double play combo for the Dodgers before Cora left as a free agent.
Aside from the degenerative elbow condition, the other concern is Izturis's career .261 average and .295 OBP. If the Sox are looking for more offense, it would seem they should look elsewhere. However, Izturis was on a torrid pace before getting hurt last season. The switch-hitter is still young and appeared to be developing offensively, having compiled 75 hits in just the first two months of the season. Showing signs of maturing into a fine contact hitter, Izturis had missed on just 8.8% of his swings at the time of his injury.
In the meantime, the club is concerned enough about Gonzalez's offensive shortcomings that he is in jeopardy of losing his starting job to Cora. The question is, what difference would it make? The two players are essentially the same; great defense, no offense. Why go from one .240 career hitter to another?
While Sox manager Terry Francona is publicly backing Gonzalez right now, the player's manager has always been loyal his guys. But Francona backed Josh Bard as well, and we all know how that turned out.
So whether it's Izturis or someone else, unless Gonzalez is a tiger who can change his stripes, the Sox may soon be in the market for a more potent offensive replacement to fill out the bottom of the order. After going through four starting shortstops in just two years, the Sox find themselves in yet another uncertain situation.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
The Sox committed to a one-year deal with Gonzalez due to his defensive prowess, knowing that his career .243 average could be a liability at the plate. But in his first month with the Red Sox, Gonzalez hit just .186 with no homers and four RBIs. His paltry .275 on-base percentage has virtually assured an automatic out in each plate appearance. That weak presence in the order can be a rally killer, and only exacerbates the Sox disturbing trend of leaving men on base this year.
Reports have surfaced that indicate the Sox may engage in trade talks with the Dodgers for Cesar Izturis as soon as he comes off the disabled list. The 26-year-old Izturis, an All-Star last year, saw his season cut short when he was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis in his right elbow, which required season-ending Tommy John surgery. In 2004, Izturis earned his first Gold Glove award, so defensively he would be on par with Gonzalez. Izturis and Alex Cora were a fantastic double play combo for the Dodgers before Cora left as a free agent.
Aside from the degenerative elbow condition, the other concern is Izturis's career .261 average and .295 OBP. If the Sox are looking for more offense, it would seem they should look elsewhere. However, Izturis was on a torrid pace before getting hurt last season. The switch-hitter is still young and appeared to be developing offensively, having compiled 75 hits in just the first two months of the season. Showing signs of maturing into a fine contact hitter, Izturis had missed on just 8.8% of his swings at the time of his injury.
In the meantime, the club is concerned enough about Gonzalez's offensive shortcomings that he is in jeopardy of losing his starting job to Cora. The question is, what difference would it make? The two players are essentially the same; great defense, no offense. Why go from one .240 career hitter to another?
While Sox manager Terry Francona is publicly backing Gonzalez right now, the player's manager has always been loyal his guys. But Francona backed Josh Bard as well, and we all know how that turned out.
So whether it's Izturis or someone else, unless Gonzalez is a tiger who can change his stripes, the Sox may soon be in the market for a more potent offensive replacement to fill out the bottom of the order. After going through four starting shortstops in just two years, the Sox find themselves in yet another uncertain situation.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
BOGUS BONDS AND THE SPLENDID SPLINTER
As the "performance enhanced" Barry Barry Bonds encroaches on the immortal Babe Ruth for second place on baseball's all-time home run list, I've been reflecting on Ted Williams -- the "greatest hitter who ever lived."
While walking around the exterior of Fenway Park last week, I came upon the statue of "Teddy Ballgame" and paused to admire it. The plaque at the base of the statue noted that Williams was a decorated war hero who had missed five full seasons due to service in two different wars -- WWII and Korea.
The greatest hitter who ever lived compiled extraordinary numbers -- such as 521 career homers -- while missing five seasons during his storied career. That's truly remarkable. At the time, only one player - Ruth - had surpassed the 700 home run mark. And upon refection, it seems that Williams -- if not for the missed time -- would've joined him in that pantheon.
In 1942, during the prime of his career, Williams voluntarily enlisted in the Navy reserve and was called to active duty that November. He was only a year removed from his now legendary .406 season. When his call to duty was over, Williams had missed three consecutive seasons as he studied and learned how to fly.
Though he was never called into active combat, he served honorably and was discharged in December of 1945. Returning to the Red Sox for the 1946 season, he picked up right where he left off. Despite the lengthy absence, Williams hit .342 and belted 38 homers. However, just six years later, the military beckoned once again.
Williams was called from the inactive reserves in 1952 to fight in the Korean War. As a result, he missed that season as well. Arriving in Korea in February 1953, Williams served as a member of the first Marine Air Wing and fought in combat. He was hit on several occasions and managed to escape death each time. Williams flew a total of 39 missions in Korea, losing part of his hearing in the process.
Williams didn't return to baseball again until the end of the 1953 season, playing in just 37 games. Though he didn't qualify for the batting title due to his limited plate appearances, he still managed to hit .407 in limited action.
And injuries also took their toll on the "Splendid Splinter," lessening the playing time of this legendary player.
Williams broke his elbow during the 1950 All-Star Game when he ran into the wall at Comiskey Park. Despite the injury, he didn't say a word to anybody and proceeded to get a base hit in his very next at-bat. In only 89 games of limited action that abbreviated season, Williams still managed to swat 28 homers and drive in 97 runs.
In 1954, Williams broke his collarbone early in Spring Training and missed a third of the season. He still finished with 29 homers and a .345 average.
In his final season, 1960, the 41-year-old Williams hit .316 with 29 homers and 72 RBIs, homering in his final at-bat in Fenway. Even at that advanced age, there was still pop in his bat.
Williams' enormous potential was immediately evident upon arrival for his rookie season in 1939. The "Kid" batted .327 with 31 home runs and 145 runs driven in. Offensively, it was the greatest rookie season in the history of the game.
That began an extraordinary run in which Williams played in 18 All-Star Games, won baseball's elite Triple Crown twice (1942 and 1947) and was named the American League MVP twice (1946 and 1949). Consider this; Williams won the Triple Crown in '42 without being named MVP. Go figure. And in '47, he lost out on the MVP by a single vote -- a year in which a disgruntled Boston writer left him of the ballot.
Williams finished his career with a .344 lifetime batting average, hitting over .300 in every season except 1959, when he was 40-years-old. And, incredibly, Williams collected more RBI's than games played (1949).
All of that got me thinking. Williams hit 521 career homers despite missing all, or parts, of eight different seasons. In particular, what would he have done if he'd played those five seasons instead of fighting for his country?
Williams career extended from 1939 to 1960 -- a 22-year span. In that time, he won six batting titles (between the ages of 23-40), led the American League in on-base percentage a record twelve times, runs scored six times, home runs and RBIs four times, walks eight times, and slugging percentage seven times. However, due to his military commitments, Williams only played 17 seasons. MLB counts the two years he fought in Korea even though he played in only 6 and 37 games, respectively. And, largely due to injury, Williams missed roughly a third of three additional seasons. That leaves us to wonder what he would have done if not robbed of those eight critical years during the prime of his career?
For comparison's sake, Carl Yastrzemski played 23 season for the Sox, yet had over 4,000 more at-bats than Williams. In fact, in spite of his tremendous accomplishments as a hitter, Williams is only fourth on the Red Sox career at-bats list. And, of all 20 Major Leaguers with at least 500 career homers, only one - Mark McGwire - has fewer at bats than Williams. In fact, Ken Griffey Jr. is the only other player besides Williams and McGwire to accomplish the feat with fewer than 8000 at-bats. In contrast, Bonds has already amassed over 9000 career at-bats, and he's still accumulating them every day.
Think of it this way; in the 17 years that Williams played, he averaged 31 home runs per season. Multiply that by the five years he missed to active duty, and you can tack on an additional 155 home runs to his career total of 521. That would make 676 home runs. That would have placed him second to Ruth through 1974, when Hank Aaron eclipsed Ruth's mark.
Now of course this is just theoretical, but it's not much of a leap. After all, Williams hit 38 homers at the age of 39. Even if we exclude the injury years, had Williams averaged 36 homers per year during those lost war years -- not unimaginable since he averaged 36 homers in the two years preceding and following WWII -- he would have joined Ruth as the only other member of the "700 Club." Since that time, only Aaron and Bonds have joined the esteemed group.
Most importantly, Williams' marks were accomplished without the aid of performance enhancing drugs. Williams and his numbers were clean. He wasn't a cheater, unlike Bonds. Bonds' 700 home runs are phony, trumped up, drug-enhanced and simply bogus.
Bonds and Williams have little in common. Unlike Bonds, Williams wasn't a selfish player. Bonds is all about Bonds. However, Williams was the first Hall of Famer to call for the inclusion of Negro Leagues stars in Cooperstown.
Ted Williams repeatedly proved that he was more than just a baseball player -- he was a patriot. As his former Red Sox teammate Mickey McDermott put it, "He was the man John Wayne wanted to be."
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
OUT OF ORDER
At this point, though it's still early in this campaign, the Red Sox pitching appears to have been vastly overrated at the start of the season. They have two very good starters (Schilling and Beckett), two mediocre starters (Wakefield and Clement), and no fifth starter. Perhaps that role will be fulfilled by Lenny DiNardo, or Mike Ginter, or Abe Alvarez. Your guess is as good as anyone's. Who needs Bronson Arroyo anyway?
This team lacks pitching depth and offense - not a good combo. On two separate occasions Friday night, the Sox left the bases loaded and failed to score. Continuing a disturbing trend this season, the Red Sox left 14 men on base and were 2-for-19 with runners in scoring position. The club has the regrettable distinction of leading the AL with over 200 men left on base this season.
Over the last 12 games the team is hitting .245, and is now 10th in the American League with a .258 overall average.
The Sox were outscored 27-6 in their three straight losses and have now dropped six of their last eight games. They may not be as good as last year's team, which wasn't good enough when it counted -- in the playoffs.
Over the course of 6 innings, Matt Clement surrendered 5 runs (4 earned) on five hits, gave up six walks, and struck out four.
Most of the damage was done early and Clement rallied to allow just one hit -- a single to Toby Hall in the fifth -- over his final two innings.
But Clement is now 2-2 with 6.14 ERA, and batters are hitting .308 against him.
In his five starts, Clement has yielded 15 walks and 37 hits, resulting in 20 earned runs. So far, he's given up more hits, runs and walks than any other Red Sox pitcher. His walks and hits per inning (WHIP) is 1.77 -- 50th in the AL.
Manager Terry Francona claimed Clement's poor performance was the result of "scuffling with his asthma."
He'd better get an inhaler.
The signs aren't good. Clement has never been a great pitcher and the Red Sox overpaid him with the three-year, $26 million contract they gave him last year. He'd never done anything to warrant such a deal, and he is continuing to live up to his average ability.
The Sox have no legitimate number three starter. Clement and Wakefield are interchangeable at four and five. But again, there is no reliable fifth starter at the moment, so they are both pitching out of order and in roles that don't suit them well. Unless Ginter or Alvarez is a hidden gem, providing an unexpected solution, the Sox better hope that Roger Clemens decides to make a return engagement in Boston. Right now, they can use all the help they can get.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
This team lacks pitching depth and offense - not a good combo. On two separate occasions Friday night, the Sox left the bases loaded and failed to score. Continuing a disturbing trend this season, the Red Sox left 14 men on base and were 2-for-19 with runners in scoring position. The club has the regrettable distinction of leading the AL with over 200 men left on base this season.
Over the last 12 games the team is hitting .245, and is now 10th in the American League with a .258 overall average.
The Sox were outscored 27-6 in their three straight losses and have now dropped six of their last eight games. They may not be as good as last year's team, which wasn't good enough when it counted -- in the playoffs.
Over the course of 6 innings, Matt Clement surrendered 5 runs (4 earned) on five hits, gave up six walks, and struck out four.
Most of the damage was done early and Clement rallied to allow just one hit -- a single to Toby Hall in the fifth -- over his final two innings.
But Clement is now 2-2 with 6.14 ERA, and batters are hitting .308 against him.
In his five starts, Clement has yielded 15 walks and 37 hits, resulting in 20 earned runs. So far, he's given up more hits, runs and walks than any other Red Sox pitcher. His walks and hits per inning (WHIP) is 1.77 -- 50th in the AL.
Manager Terry Francona claimed Clement's poor performance was the result of "scuffling with his asthma."
He'd better get an inhaler.
The signs aren't good. Clement has never been a great pitcher and the Red Sox overpaid him with the three-year, $26 million contract they gave him last year. He'd never done anything to warrant such a deal, and he is continuing to live up to his average ability.
The Sox have no legitimate number three starter. Clement and Wakefield are interchangeable at four and five. But again, there is no reliable fifth starter at the moment, so they are both pitching out of order and in roles that don't suit them well. Unless Ginter or Alvarez is a hidden gem, providing an unexpected solution, the Sox better hope that Roger Clemens decides to make a return engagement in Boston. Right now, they can use all the help they can get.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
IN THE WAKE OF THE KNUCKLE BALL
It was another tough start for Tim Wakefield last night. The first two Cleveland batters he faced reached base, and the third, Jhonny Peralta, scorched a three run homer into the left field seats for an early lead.
Through 5 2/3 innings, Wakefield only surrendered five hits, but his erratic knuckler resulted in four walks, and gave catcher Josh Bard fits.
Bard "allowed" four more passed balls last night, and now has ten on the season. That's more than his first four seasons combined. Two of those "passed balls" resulted in runs scored. A passed ball credited to Bard's could just as easily be viewed as a wild pitch by Wakefield. Wakefield leads all active Major League pitchers in passed balls. And it's no wonder; the knuckle ball is clearly the most difficult pitch to handle. When one of those floaters sails to the backstop, it's more often Wakefield's fault than the catcher's. Attempting to catch Wakefield's knuckle ball is a thankless task -- one so difficult that John Flaherty decided to retire after a single spring training game, rather than compete for the job and accept the frustration that comes with it.
With the loss, Wakefield is now 1-4 with a 3.90 ERA. Some would argue that the lack of run support by the offense has been his Achilles heel. After all, In his first two losses, against Texas and Seattle, the offense afforded him no runs. In his next two losses, they spotted him just a single run in each game. His only victory this season came against Baltimore, on a night when his teammates staked him a four run cushion. Wakefield's losses have been by scores of 10-4, 3-0, 5-1, and 7-1. Yes, there has been a lack of run support, but the numbers indicate that there's also been a lack of pitching as well. In those four games, the Sox have given up a total of 25 runs. That's ridiculous. That means the offense would have to average more than six runs a game to win. Not likely with this year's squad.
There's a reasonable argument that Wakefield has been placed too high in the pitching rotation at number two, and is facing pitchers above his caliber. If he moved down to, perhaps, four or five, he'd be facing weaker pitchers who would likely give up more runs. That would keep him in games. The only way Wakefield is going to win in the number two spot is if he can manage to surrender just one or two runs each outing. That isn't likely.
Wakefield has been a good soldier for the Red Sox over the course of his 12 years in Boston. He's been an exemplary representative of the organization both on and off the field. He never gets into trouble, and he doesn't complain or mouth off to the media, the fans, the management, or his teammates. He's selflessly done whatever has been asked of him, from starting, pitching middle relief, and even closing games.
The veteran righty is second on the club's all-time wins list, behind Roger Clemens and Cy Young -- who are tied for first. He's also second in games, and third in strike outs. But here's the rub; he's also first in losses, first in home runs allowed (by a long shot), and has yielded more runs and earned runs than any other pitcher in team history (again, by a long shot). And by the end of this season, he will be the club's all-time leader in walks allowed.
For all his accomplishments, Wakefield's career has been marked by mediocrity on the mound, and his place in the club's record books is a measure of his longevity, not his greatness. That's not a knock on Wakefield. That's just the truth.
Great pitchers are hard to come by, and a number two pitcher should be great - like, perhaps, Josh Beckett. This year, in that spot, Wakefield has been given the unenviable responsibility of going up against pitchers who are simply better than him, and he and the team are suffering for it. It's been just as thankless a task for him as catching the knuckle ball has been for poor Josh Bard.
Trading Bronson Arroyo now appears to be a critical mistake. Wouldn't he be a fantastic number three starter behind Beckett? David Wells is likely done, the victim of his own compulsive eating habits and lack of serious conditioning, as much as anything else. His nearly 43-year-old knees can no longer support his enormous girth. And Lenny Dinardo, for all of his well-intentioned efforts, is clearly in over his head. Maybe Abe Alvarez can dutifully fill out the final spot in the rotation while the Sox hope and pray they can persuade Roger Clemens to come back to Boston for one more stab at World Series glory.
Maybe then Tim Wakefield could assume a more fitting role as the fourth or fifth starter - against appropriate competition. And perhaps, with a little more time and practice by Bard, the knuckle ball will frustrate opposing hitters more than it has frustrated him in the early part of this season. If not, the Sox will seek an alternative catcher, but the passed balls and wild pitches will inevitably continue. Expect it.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Through 5 2/3 innings, Wakefield only surrendered five hits, but his erratic knuckler resulted in four walks, and gave catcher Josh Bard fits.
Bard "allowed" four more passed balls last night, and now has ten on the season. That's more than his first four seasons combined. Two of those "passed balls" resulted in runs scored. A passed ball credited to Bard's could just as easily be viewed as a wild pitch by Wakefield. Wakefield leads all active Major League pitchers in passed balls. And it's no wonder; the knuckle ball is clearly the most difficult pitch to handle. When one of those floaters sails to the backstop, it's more often Wakefield's fault than the catcher's. Attempting to catch Wakefield's knuckle ball is a thankless task -- one so difficult that John Flaherty decided to retire after a single spring training game, rather than compete for the job and accept the frustration that comes with it.
With the loss, Wakefield is now 1-4 with a 3.90 ERA. Some would argue that the lack of run support by the offense has been his Achilles heel. After all, In his first two losses, against Texas and Seattle, the offense afforded him no runs. In his next two losses, they spotted him just a single run in each game. His only victory this season came against Baltimore, on a night when his teammates staked him a four run cushion. Wakefield's losses have been by scores of 10-4, 3-0, 5-1, and 7-1. Yes, there has been a lack of run support, but the numbers indicate that there's also been a lack of pitching as well. In those four games, the Sox have given up a total of 25 runs. That's ridiculous. That means the offense would have to average more than six runs a game to win. Not likely with this year's squad.
There's a reasonable argument that Wakefield has been placed too high in the pitching rotation at number two, and is facing pitchers above his caliber. If he moved down to, perhaps, four or five, he'd be facing weaker pitchers who would likely give up more runs. That would keep him in games. The only way Wakefield is going to win in the number two spot is if he can manage to surrender just one or two runs each outing. That isn't likely.
Wakefield has been a good soldier for the Red Sox over the course of his 12 years in Boston. He's been an exemplary representative of the organization both on and off the field. He never gets into trouble, and he doesn't complain or mouth off to the media, the fans, the management, or his teammates. He's selflessly done whatever has been asked of him, from starting, pitching middle relief, and even closing games.
The veteran righty is second on the club's all-time wins list, behind Roger Clemens and Cy Young -- who are tied for first. He's also second in games, and third in strike outs. But here's the rub; he's also first in losses, first in home runs allowed (by a long shot), and has yielded more runs and earned runs than any other pitcher in team history (again, by a long shot). And by the end of this season, he will be the club's all-time leader in walks allowed.
For all his accomplishments, Wakefield's career has been marked by mediocrity on the mound, and his place in the club's record books is a measure of his longevity, not his greatness. That's not a knock on Wakefield. That's just the truth.
Great pitchers are hard to come by, and a number two pitcher should be great - like, perhaps, Josh Beckett. This year, in that spot, Wakefield has been given the unenviable responsibility of going up against pitchers who are simply better than him, and he and the team are suffering for it. It's been just as thankless a task for him as catching the knuckle ball has been for poor Josh Bard.
Trading Bronson Arroyo now appears to be a critical mistake. Wouldn't he be a fantastic number three starter behind Beckett? David Wells is likely done, the victim of his own compulsive eating habits and lack of serious conditioning, as much as anything else. His nearly 43-year-old knees can no longer support his enormous girth. And Lenny Dinardo, for all of his well-intentioned efforts, is clearly in over his head. Maybe Abe Alvarez can dutifully fill out the final spot in the rotation while the Sox hope and pray they can persuade Roger Clemens to come back to Boston for one more stab at World Series glory.
Maybe then Tim Wakefield could assume a more fitting role as the fourth or fifth starter - against appropriate competition. And perhaps, with a little more time and practice by Bard, the knuckle ball will frustrate opposing hitters more than it has frustrated him in the early part of this season. If not, the Sox will seek an alternative catcher, but the passed balls and wild pitches will inevitably continue. Expect it.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
RIDING THE HORSES
It's becoming a habit. The Red Sox won yet another one-run ballgame today, defeating the Mariners 3-2 behind another strong performance from Josh Beckett. That too has become habitual.
Beckett and veteran Curt Schilling have paired to become an unstoppable force -- thus far at least.
Sport illustrated calls the two former World Series MVPs the top pitching combo in all of baseball.
Beckett's line today; 7 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 1 walk, and 5 strike outs.
Beckett leads the Majors with a 1.29 ERA this season. With a career best 3-0 start, Beckett has surrendered only 16 hits in 21 innings pitched, for a grand total of three earned runs. Beckett's 12 strike outs are double the six walks he's allowed.
Schilling, also 3-0, sports a nearly impressive 1.64 ERA. Schilling has given up only 11 hits in 22 innings, resulting in 4 earned runs. The big righty has frustrated hitters by issuing only three walks and 16 strike outs.
The Sox entered spring training with seven starters and questions about who would crack the rotation, who'd go to the pen and who would be dealt. Just two weeks into the 2006 campaign, Jonathan Papelbon has become the indispensable closer, Bronson Arroyo was dealt, and David Wells' damaged knee landed him on the DL. As the saying goes, you can never have enough pitching.
At this point, it's hard to know if Wells will ever return, and if he does, if he'll be effective. At 43 (next month) and quite overweight, Wells' knees have the tremendous burden of supporting the rest of him. And no matter how you slice it, by historical standards, Wells is simply old for a pitcher. If Keith Foulke continues to progress, that could allow the Sox to move Papelbon into the rotation to fill Wells' spot.
Sure, there will be happy talk about the possibility of Roger Clemens' return to Boston, riding in on his white horse to pitch the team back to the World Series. But at this point, that's all just speculation. And Clemens, like Wells, is old. Any expectations of him may be too great.
If the Red Sox hope to return to the promised land that is a World Series championship, they will have to ride their impressive, and quite capable, duo of Curt Schilling and Josh Beckett - the number one combo in all of baseball.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Beckett and veteran Curt Schilling have paired to become an unstoppable force -- thus far at least.
Sport illustrated calls the two former World Series MVPs the top pitching combo in all of baseball.
Beckett's line today; 7 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs (1 earned), 1 walk, and 5 strike outs.
Beckett leads the Majors with a 1.29 ERA this season. With a career best 3-0 start, Beckett has surrendered only 16 hits in 21 innings pitched, for a grand total of three earned runs. Beckett's 12 strike outs are double the six walks he's allowed.
Schilling, also 3-0, sports a nearly impressive 1.64 ERA. Schilling has given up only 11 hits in 22 innings, resulting in 4 earned runs. The big righty has frustrated hitters by issuing only three walks and 16 strike outs.
The Sox entered spring training with seven starters and questions about who would crack the rotation, who'd go to the pen and who would be dealt. Just two weeks into the 2006 campaign, Jonathan Papelbon has become the indispensable closer, Bronson Arroyo was dealt, and David Wells' damaged knee landed him on the DL. As the saying goes, you can never have enough pitching.
At this point, it's hard to know if Wells will ever return, and if he does, if he'll be effective. At 43 (next month) and quite overweight, Wells' knees have the tremendous burden of supporting the rest of him. And no matter how you slice it, by historical standards, Wells is simply old for a pitcher. If Keith Foulke continues to progress, that could allow the Sox to move Papelbon into the rotation to fill Wells' spot.
Sure, there will be happy talk about the possibility of Roger Clemens' return to Boston, riding in on his white horse to pitch the team back to the World Series. But at this point, that's all just speculation. And Clemens, like Wells, is old. Any expectations of him may be too great.
If the Red Sox hope to return to the promised land that is a World Series championship, they will have to ride their impressive, and quite capable, duo of Curt Schilling and Josh Beckett - the number one combo in all of baseball.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
DAMON'S RUNNING HIS MOUTH AGAIN
Even though Torii Hunter is under contract to the Twins for this season, and Gary Sheffield to the Yankees, that hasn't stopped Johnny Damon from plotting the future of both players. Both are free agents after this year, and Damon has plans for each of them.
Damon says he's willing to move to right field if the Yankees acquire Hunter, who has talked openly about playing for the Yankees if the Twins do not show a commitment to winning beyond this season.
I wonder what Damon's teammate, Sheffield, thinks about Johnny's plans? It can't be good for team chemistry and accord when one outfielder is actively trying to supplant another.
Says Damon, "I know how good Torii Hunter is, and he would be a good fit. We still have Gary Sheffield (in right field), which Gary may end up moving to the DH spot. I'm sure there's a lot that we can do. Whatever makes the team better."
Asked if he would be willing to switch positions again to make way for Hunter, Damon spoke freely before realizing that he isn't the Yankees GM.
"I had to do it for Carlos Beltran to make his job easier in the big leagues, and he seemed to do pretty good," Damon said. "Yeah, it doesn't matter to me. Whatever needs to be done. It's all about going out there and trying to win. (Hunter is) definitely one of the game's best players, but I'll leave that up to (Yankees general manager) Brian Cashman. I can't be running my mouth."
I bet Gary Sheffield would tell him the same thing.
The Yankees and their fans may already be learning what the Red Sox and their fans have known for the past few years. Johnny loves a microphone and especially a camera, and he never misses an opportunity to share his profound wisdom. Like a moth to a flame he is drawn, burned at times by his own words.
Damon says he's willing to move to right field if the Yankees acquire Hunter, who has talked openly about playing for the Yankees if the Twins do not show a commitment to winning beyond this season.
I wonder what Damon's teammate, Sheffield, thinks about Johnny's plans? It can't be good for team chemistry and accord when one outfielder is actively trying to supplant another.
Says Damon, "I know how good Torii Hunter is, and he would be a good fit. We still have Gary Sheffield (in right field), which Gary may end up moving to the DH spot. I'm sure there's a lot that we can do. Whatever makes the team better."
Asked if he would be willing to switch positions again to make way for Hunter, Damon spoke freely before realizing that he isn't the Yankees GM.
"I had to do it for Carlos Beltran to make his job easier in the big leagues, and he seemed to do pretty good," Damon said. "Yeah, it doesn't matter to me. Whatever needs to be done. It's all about going out there and trying to win. (Hunter is) definitely one of the game's best players, but I'll leave that up to (Yankees general manager) Brian Cashman. I can't be running my mouth."
I bet Gary Sheffield would tell him the same thing.
The Yankees and their fans may already be learning what the Red Sox and their fans have known for the past few years. Johnny loves a microphone and especially a camera, and he never misses an opportunity to share his profound wisdom. Like a moth to a flame he is drawn, burned at times by his own words.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
WHERE'S THE OFFENSE GONE?
The Sox were shut out at Fenway today by a score of 3-0, behind the solid pitching of Joel Piniero. However, they weren't without their opportunities. Nine Sox runners were left on base today, and a total of twenty over the last two games.
It's a problem that's plagued the Sox early this season. Frustratingly, 101 Sox runners have been left on base -- most in the AL, and second to only the Dodgers.
After leading the majors in runs each of the past three seasons, the Sox have scored four or less seven times in 11 games. Prior to today's shutout, they were 17th in runs scored, and 23rd in home runs. In fact, Wily Mo Pena's double was the only extra base hit the anemic Sox offense could muster. The Sox loaded the bases with no outs in the third and still failed to score.
Manny Ramirez has inexplicably been without an extra-base hit in the eleven games this year. And believe it or not, Manny leads the Sox with 15 strike outs this year - nearly twice as many as the next closest player. He has just two hits in his last 22 at bats, resulting in a paltry .205 average.
Sox catcher Josh Bard was charged with two passed balls, though it's often tough to distinguish where a wild pitch ends and a passed ball begins. The knuckleball is the toughest pitch for any catcher to handle, and as such, the number of wild pitches and knuckleballs in any Wakefield start is invariably high. Unfortunately for Bard, he's going to take the blame for a lot of passed balls that wouldn't get by him if he was catching another pitcher. You could call it a thankless job, Should anyone need more evidence of just how tough that job is, consider this; after trying to catch Wakefield just once during spring training, John Flaherty chose to retire rather than compete for the job.
Aside from the third inning -- when the Mariners scored all their runs with the aid of those two passed balls -- Wakefield pitched well, giving up nine hits and no walks with six strikeouts on the way to his 29th complete game.
The Sox were billed as a team built on pitching and defense to start this season, and so far they've delivered on that promise. Three of their seven victories have come by a 2-1 score. That's encouraging. Last year the Sox were 3-22 when they scored fewer than three runs. But they can't count on wining games by those slim margins all year. The offense has to wake up and do its part.
Josh Beckett leads the majors with a 1.29 ERA. So he's clearly been doing his part and can be expected to deliver more of the same against the Mariners tomorrow. But it's time for the offense to step up and give him some help. He's earned it.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
It's a problem that's plagued the Sox early this season. Frustratingly, 101 Sox runners have been left on base -- most in the AL, and second to only the Dodgers.
After leading the majors in runs each of the past three seasons, the Sox have scored four or less seven times in 11 games. Prior to today's shutout, they were 17th in runs scored, and 23rd in home runs. In fact, Wily Mo Pena's double was the only extra base hit the anemic Sox offense could muster. The Sox loaded the bases with no outs in the third and still failed to score.
Manny Ramirez has inexplicably been without an extra-base hit in the eleven games this year. And believe it or not, Manny leads the Sox with 15 strike outs this year - nearly twice as many as the next closest player. He has just two hits in his last 22 at bats, resulting in a paltry .205 average.
Sox catcher Josh Bard was charged with two passed balls, though it's often tough to distinguish where a wild pitch ends and a passed ball begins. The knuckleball is the toughest pitch for any catcher to handle, and as such, the number of wild pitches and knuckleballs in any Wakefield start is invariably high. Unfortunately for Bard, he's going to take the blame for a lot of passed balls that wouldn't get by him if he was catching another pitcher. You could call it a thankless job, Should anyone need more evidence of just how tough that job is, consider this; after trying to catch Wakefield just once during spring training, John Flaherty chose to retire rather than compete for the job.
Aside from the third inning -- when the Mariners scored all their runs with the aid of those two passed balls -- Wakefield pitched well, giving up nine hits and no walks with six strikeouts on the way to his 29th complete game.
The Sox were billed as a team built on pitching and defense to start this season, and so far they've delivered on that promise. Three of their seven victories have come by a 2-1 score. That's encouraging. Last year the Sox were 3-22 when they scored fewer than three runs. But they can't count on wining games by those slim margins all year. The offense has to wake up and do its part.
Josh Beckett leads the majors with a 1.29 ERA. So he's clearly been doing his part and can be expected to deliver more of the same against the Mariners tomorrow. But it's time for the offense to step up and give him some help. He's earned it.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
"THEY TRADED THE WRONG GUY"
When the Red Sox traded Bronson Arroyo last month, David Wells quipped, "They traded the wrong guy."
And after the way Wells pitched in his first game of the season tonight, many of us are inclined to agree with him. Making it through just 4 2/3 innings, Wells surrendered 10 hits and 7 earned runs in an embarrassing loss to the Blue jays. Wells gave up three homers in his ghastly outing, and the fans let him hear their disapproval loud and clear. And there were plenty of them to be heard. Fenway's new capacity allowed for 36,378 fans - the biggest nighttime crowd in the park's history.
After hearing of his trade demand during the offseason - which was only rescinded during spring training - many Sox fans were none too pleased with Boomer before the game even started, and his poor performance only made things worse.
The resulting 8-4 loss snapped the Sox five-game winning streak, and a chance to match the team's best start in 86 years.
The were bad omens when Wells opened the season with a Minor League rehab start, and proceeded to get shelled. Tonight he looked like he could use a few more of those tune-ups before he's ready or prime time.
Wells turns 43 next month, and this appearance will raise some eyebrows and cause some to wonder if Boomer has finally gotten a little too long in the tooth. Though it may be too soon to throw up the white flag, it's worth noting that in ten years Bronson arroyo will still be three years younger than Wells is now. Yeah. It puts things in perspective.
Aside from the fact that Wells is a loud mouth with a long history of putting his foot in that mouth, he's never been a conditioning devotee and is returning from off season knee surgery. If he continues to turn in efforts like this one tonight, things will get ugly really fast for him with the Fenway faithful. It's difficult to argue that someone approaching 43 got old overnight. By baseball standards, Wells got old a few years ago but has successfully eluded Father Time - at least until now.
Meanwhile, back in Cincinnati, Arroyo improved to 2-0, throwing seven scoreless innings against the Cubs yesterday. The 29-year-old allowed six hits -- all singles -- and struck out four while not walking a batter for his second-straight start. Who needs a guy like that in the rotation?
It's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback, but I always maintained that Arroyo was an ideal number four of five starter, because he was durable, reliable, had big-game experience, and always wanted the ball. Who wouldn't want a pitcher under the age of thirty with those qualities? Let's just hope we don't end up wishing that the Sox had traded Wells - who actually demanded a trade - instead of a pitcher who desperately wanted to stay in Boston. Before too long, we could all be left asking, why?
Wells takes his next turn against the Mariners on Marathon Monday. Hopefully, being the seasoned veteran that he is, Wells will be able to put this dismal performance out of his mind and get himself back on track. The big lefty has always had a rubber arm, and perhaps it's too soon to assume the worst. Wells may have just had an off night, and could rebound nicely. It's a tough call. He doesn't look ready for the big leagues right now. But we'll have to wait and see and, in the mean time, hope for the best. Specifically, that the Red Sox didn't trade the wrong guy.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
And after the way Wells pitched in his first game of the season tonight, many of us are inclined to agree with him. Making it through just 4 2/3 innings, Wells surrendered 10 hits and 7 earned runs in an embarrassing loss to the Blue jays. Wells gave up three homers in his ghastly outing, and the fans let him hear their disapproval loud and clear. And there were plenty of them to be heard. Fenway's new capacity allowed for 36,378 fans - the biggest nighttime crowd in the park's history.
After hearing of his trade demand during the offseason - which was only rescinded during spring training - many Sox fans were none too pleased with Boomer before the game even started, and his poor performance only made things worse.
The resulting 8-4 loss snapped the Sox five-game winning streak, and a chance to match the team's best start in 86 years.
The were bad omens when Wells opened the season with a Minor League rehab start, and proceeded to get shelled. Tonight he looked like he could use a few more of those tune-ups before he's ready or prime time.
Wells turns 43 next month, and this appearance will raise some eyebrows and cause some to wonder if Boomer has finally gotten a little too long in the tooth. Though it may be too soon to throw up the white flag, it's worth noting that in ten years Bronson arroyo will still be three years younger than Wells is now. Yeah. It puts things in perspective.
Aside from the fact that Wells is a loud mouth with a long history of putting his foot in that mouth, he's never been a conditioning devotee and is returning from off season knee surgery. If he continues to turn in efforts like this one tonight, things will get ugly really fast for him with the Fenway faithful. It's difficult to argue that someone approaching 43 got old overnight. By baseball standards, Wells got old a few years ago but has successfully eluded Father Time - at least until now.
Meanwhile, back in Cincinnati, Arroyo improved to 2-0, throwing seven scoreless innings against the Cubs yesterday. The 29-year-old allowed six hits -- all singles -- and struck out four while not walking a batter for his second-straight start. Who needs a guy like that in the rotation?
It's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback, but I always maintained that Arroyo was an ideal number four of five starter, because he was durable, reliable, had big-game experience, and always wanted the ball. Who wouldn't want a pitcher under the age of thirty with those qualities? Let's just hope we don't end up wishing that the Sox had traded Wells - who actually demanded a trade - instead of a pitcher who desperately wanted to stay in Boston. Before too long, we could all be left asking, why?
Wells takes his next turn against the Mariners on Marathon Monday. Hopefully, being the seasoned veteran that he is, Wells will be able to put this dismal performance out of his mind and get himself back on track. The big lefty has always had a rubber arm, and perhaps it's too soon to assume the worst. Wells may have just had an off night, and could rebound nicely. It's a tough call. He doesn't look ready for the big leagues right now. But we'll have to wait and see and, in the mean time, hope for the best. Specifically, that the Red Sox didn't trade the wrong guy.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
THE BEAT GOES ON
The Red Sox continued their winning ways this afternoon at Fenway's home opener. The Sox latest victory extended their winning streak to five games and a 6-1 record - their best start since 1999.
After a shaky first inning - likely the result of Opening Day nerves in his first Fenway start for the Sox - Josh Beckett settled down and pitched like his usual self. Ultimately, Beckett pitched seven innings of three-hit, one-run baseball, leading the Sox to a 5-3 victory over the Blue Jays. Uncharacteristically, the three hits Beckett allowed were exceeded by four walks - three of which came in the first inning, resulting in the sole run he allowed.
But perhaps the most encouraging news was Mike Lowell's 4-for-4 performance, including three doubles in his home debut with the Red Sox. Of all the questions about the Sox offense entering this season, Lowell may have been the most curious, and perhaps the most important. We knew that Kevin Youkilis could hit, or least reach base, Mark Loretta is a career .300 hitter, and Coco Crisp is clearly a player on the rise. Odds are that Trot Nixon will rebound nicely, as long as he stays healthy. The biggest question mark, in my view, was Lowell.
Though coming off a career-worst season, Lowell was an All-Star for three consecutive seasons prior to 2005, a year in which he still won a Gold Glove. Though he struggled with a .236 average last season, he hit .293 the previous year and is a lifetime .272 hitter. And it now appears that he will indeed thrive in the friendly confines of Fenway - the epitome of a hitter's park. The Monster is only 310 feet from home, and Lowell should take ample advantage of it. There's a reason that Lowell has such a big contract -- he earned it. In 2003, he belted 32 homers and 105 RBI. He followed that up in '04 by hitting 27 homers and driving in 85 runs. In fact, Lowell averaged 25 homers and 95 RBI in the five seasons leading up to 2005.
What's most impressive about Lowell's stats in those years is that he was able to be so productive while playing in what is known as a pitcher's park - Dolphins Stadium. Fenway Park, not to mention the tutelage of hitting coach Ron "Papa Jack" Jackson, may already be aiding Lowell's return to form.
The only letdown was the disappointing play of Wily Mo Pena. Clearly a work in progress, the raw-looking Pena was 0-2, including a strike out. Red Sox fans had better get used to it. Hopefully Papa Jack, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz can help Pena polish his hitting skills, particularly his plate discipline and patience. Pena swings at far too many balls out of the strike zone, doing himself no favors. But worse, Pena let a Frank Catalanotto blast bounce out his glove and over the right field wall for a two run homer the eighth. Keith Foulke, who gave up two hits in the inning, was clearly disappointed and his 6.75 ERA will reflect it.
Jonathan Papelbon continued to dominate, retiring all three batters he faced for his fourth save in as many opportunities. In five appearances, Papelbon has allowed a grand total of two baserunners. He's been a dream come true for a bullpen that mostly conjured nightmares last season.
The sold out crowd of 35,491 was the largest to witness a Fenway Park opener. The old record of 35,343 had been established in 1969 against Baltimore. Despite the robust attendance, there was actually room for more. Believe it or not, some ticket holders actually failed to show up for the festivities. With its new capacity, Fenway will now hold 38,805, up from its previous 36,298.
Today also marked the Sox' 227th consecutive sellout, second only in league history to the 455-game run at Cleveland's Jacobs Field (1995-2001). Given the park's increased capacity, the Sox surely will set an attendance record this year for the seventh consecutive season.
And those record crowds are sure to see some great baseball this year. The 2006 Red Sox appear to be all they've been advertised to be. They are long on defense and pitching, and appear to still have enough offense to make them an AL force once again. Best of all, Manny hasn't even found his stroke yet and the club is winning despite this. But Mike Lowell looks poised to do his part, and his offensive production is sure to win fans, as well as the confidence of his teammates.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
After a shaky first inning - likely the result of Opening Day nerves in his first Fenway start for the Sox - Josh Beckett settled down and pitched like his usual self. Ultimately, Beckett pitched seven innings of three-hit, one-run baseball, leading the Sox to a 5-3 victory over the Blue Jays. Uncharacteristically, the three hits Beckett allowed were exceeded by four walks - three of which came in the first inning, resulting in the sole run he allowed.
But perhaps the most encouraging news was Mike Lowell's 4-for-4 performance, including three doubles in his home debut with the Red Sox. Of all the questions about the Sox offense entering this season, Lowell may have been the most curious, and perhaps the most important. We knew that Kevin Youkilis could hit, or least reach base, Mark Loretta is a career .300 hitter, and Coco Crisp is clearly a player on the rise. Odds are that Trot Nixon will rebound nicely, as long as he stays healthy. The biggest question mark, in my view, was Lowell.
Though coming off a career-worst season, Lowell was an All-Star for three consecutive seasons prior to 2005, a year in which he still won a Gold Glove. Though he struggled with a .236 average last season, he hit .293 the previous year and is a lifetime .272 hitter. And it now appears that he will indeed thrive in the friendly confines of Fenway - the epitome of a hitter's park. The Monster is only 310 feet from home, and Lowell should take ample advantage of it. There's a reason that Lowell has such a big contract -- he earned it. In 2003, he belted 32 homers and 105 RBI. He followed that up in '04 by hitting 27 homers and driving in 85 runs. In fact, Lowell averaged 25 homers and 95 RBI in the five seasons leading up to 2005.
What's most impressive about Lowell's stats in those years is that he was able to be so productive while playing in what is known as a pitcher's park - Dolphins Stadium. Fenway Park, not to mention the tutelage of hitting coach Ron "Papa Jack" Jackson, may already be aiding Lowell's return to form.
The only letdown was the disappointing play of Wily Mo Pena. Clearly a work in progress, the raw-looking Pena was 0-2, including a strike out. Red Sox fans had better get used to it. Hopefully Papa Jack, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz can help Pena polish his hitting skills, particularly his plate discipline and patience. Pena swings at far too many balls out of the strike zone, doing himself no favors. But worse, Pena let a Frank Catalanotto blast bounce out his glove and over the right field wall for a two run homer the eighth. Keith Foulke, who gave up two hits in the inning, was clearly disappointed and his 6.75 ERA will reflect it.
Jonathan Papelbon continued to dominate, retiring all three batters he faced for his fourth save in as many opportunities. In five appearances, Papelbon has allowed a grand total of two baserunners. He's been a dream come true for a bullpen that mostly conjured nightmares last season.
The sold out crowd of 35,491 was the largest to witness a Fenway Park opener. The old record of 35,343 had been established in 1969 against Baltimore. Despite the robust attendance, there was actually room for more. Believe it or not, some ticket holders actually failed to show up for the festivities. With its new capacity, Fenway will now hold 38,805, up from its previous 36,298.
Today also marked the Sox' 227th consecutive sellout, second only in league history to the 455-game run at Cleveland's Jacobs Field (1995-2001). Given the park's increased capacity, the Sox surely will set an attendance record this year for the seventh consecutive season.
And those record crowds are sure to see some great baseball this year. The 2006 Red Sox appear to be all they've been advertised to be. They are long on defense and pitching, and appear to still have enough offense to make them an AL force once again. Best of all, Manny hasn't even found his stroke yet and the club is winning despite this. But Mike Lowell looks poised to do his part, and his offensive production is sure to win fans, as well as the confidence of his teammates.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Monday, April 10, 2006
CONFIDENCE ON THE RISE
Tim Wakefield pitched like he had something to prove on Sunday. The knuckleballer seemed like a man with a chip on his shoulder from the moment he took the mound.
Coming into Sunday's game, Wakefield was the only starter who hadn't yet been victorious, and his loss to Texas had been a crushing defeat. He'd allowed seven runs in just 3 2/3 innings in that April 4 game. And he was clearly determined to make up for it against the Orioles.
Time after time, through six effective innings, Wakefield pitched his way out of jams, leaving Baltimore baserunners stranded, and often in scoring position. Boston's longest serving pitcher surrendered just one run, and it was unearned.
The end result; Wakefield's dominance helped the Red Sox earn their forth straight victory to start this season at 5-1.
And there was more good news. Keith Foulke got three outs in a row in the eighth, leading both he and Terry Francona to say it was the best performance he'd given in quite some time. If Foulke has confidence issues about being a closer, he may be an ideal - if not overpriced - set up man. At least for a while. One would like to believe that Foulke will regain the confidence that he had in 2004, and in the four previous seasons. During that span he was one of the most dominant closers in baseball with the White Sox and A's. Prior to last year, Foulke had an impressive 2.49 ERA over those previous five seasons, while compiling 185 saves. One encouraging sign on Sunday was that his fastball registered 88 mph for the first time in quite some time.
So heading into Tuesday's home opener, there are encouraging signs for the 2006 edition of the Boston Red Sox. Not the least of which is that 25-year-old Jonathan Papelbon earned his third save in three opportunities. And with that, hope springs eternal, and the Nation does rejoice.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Coming into Sunday's game, Wakefield was the only starter who hadn't yet been victorious, and his loss to Texas had been a crushing defeat. He'd allowed seven runs in just 3 2/3 innings in that April 4 game. And he was clearly determined to make up for it against the Orioles.
Time after time, through six effective innings, Wakefield pitched his way out of jams, leaving Baltimore baserunners stranded, and often in scoring position. Boston's longest serving pitcher surrendered just one run, and it was unearned.
The end result; Wakefield's dominance helped the Red Sox earn their forth straight victory to start this season at 5-1.
And there was more good news. Keith Foulke got three outs in a row in the eighth, leading both he and Terry Francona to say it was the best performance he'd given in quite some time. If Foulke has confidence issues about being a closer, he may be an ideal - if not overpriced - set up man. At least for a while. One would like to believe that Foulke will regain the confidence that he had in 2004, and in the four previous seasons. During that span he was one of the most dominant closers in baseball with the White Sox and A's. Prior to last year, Foulke had an impressive 2.49 ERA over those previous five seasons, while compiling 185 saves. One encouraging sign on Sunday was that his fastball registered 88 mph for the first time in quite some time.
So heading into Tuesday's home opener, there are encouraging signs for the 2006 edition of the Boston Red Sox. Not the least of which is that 25-year-old Jonathan Papelbon earned his third save in three opportunities. And with that, hope springs eternal, and the Nation does rejoice.
Copyright © 2006 Sean M. Kennedy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
2 OUT OF 3 AIN'T BAD
Initiating the season by taking two out of three in Texas is an auspicious start indeed.
Trot Nixon's two run homer in the seventh provided all the offense the Sox needed (and it's a good thing because it was the only offense the team could muster), while Josh Beckett - seemingly on will alone - managed to surrender just a single run on a night when he clearly didn't have his best repertoire of pitches.
In the seventh, Beckett struck out the final batter he faced with a 95 mph fastball to wrap up his first start as a member of the Red Sox. It was a fine inauguration, and should serve as the perfect ice breaker for the 25-year-old when he pitches the Fenway opener next Tuesday.
Mike Timlin pitched a scoreless eighth, thanks to a fine defensive play.
Manny Ramirez, Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek combined to throw out Mark Texiera at home on a Kevin Mench single to left. It was the critical defensive play of the evening, and prevented the Rangers from tying the game.
But perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was the emergence of Jonathan Papelbon from the bullpen in the ninth. Some might say there is a closer's controversy brewing in Boston, but it looks like the case may be closed. Papelbon pitched a 1-2-3 final frame - including two punch outs - to complete the Sox victory.
Rangers' starter Kameron Loe frustrated Sox hitters through the first five innings, surrendering only two singles to Mark Loretta. But then came Nixon's blast that put the Sox ahead for good. In all, Loe surrendered only six hits, but Nixon's was the crushing blow to his otherwise splendid night. In fact, Loe gave up fewer hits than Beckett (7) in the same number of innings, but Beckett had five k's and just one walk, keeping the Rangers' hitters off balance and off the scoreboard after the first. Beyond that initial frame, only one runner made it as far as third. In fact, of the seven hits that Beckett surrendered, three were infield singles.
The most upbeat scenario for the Red Sox is that a 25-year-old pitcher got the win, and another 25-year-old got the save - the first of his Major League career. That's something to celebrate, and something to look forward to for the rest of this season.
Trot Nixon's two run homer in the seventh provided all the offense the Sox needed (and it's a good thing because it was the only offense the team could muster), while Josh Beckett - seemingly on will alone - managed to surrender just a single run on a night when he clearly didn't have his best repertoire of pitches.
In the seventh, Beckett struck out the final batter he faced with a 95 mph fastball to wrap up his first start as a member of the Red Sox. It was a fine inauguration, and should serve as the perfect ice breaker for the 25-year-old when he pitches the Fenway opener next Tuesday.
Mike Timlin pitched a scoreless eighth, thanks to a fine defensive play.
Manny Ramirez, Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek combined to throw out Mark Texiera at home on a Kevin Mench single to left. It was the critical defensive play of the evening, and prevented the Rangers from tying the game.
But perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was the emergence of Jonathan Papelbon from the bullpen in the ninth. Some might say there is a closer's controversy brewing in Boston, but it looks like the case may be closed. Papelbon pitched a 1-2-3 final frame - including two punch outs - to complete the Sox victory.
Rangers' starter Kameron Loe frustrated Sox hitters through the first five innings, surrendering only two singles to Mark Loretta. But then came Nixon's blast that put the Sox ahead for good. In all, Loe surrendered only six hits, but Nixon's was the crushing blow to his otherwise splendid night. In fact, Loe gave up fewer hits than Beckett (7) in the same number of innings, but Beckett had five k's and just one walk, keeping the Rangers' hitters off balance and off the scoreboard after the first. Beyond that initial frame, only one runner made it as far as third. In fact, of the seven hits that Beckett surrendered, three were infield singles.
The most upbeat scenario for the Red Sox is that a 25-year-old pitcher got the win, and another 25-year-old got the save - the first of his Major League career. That's something to celebrate, and something to look forward to for the rest of this season.
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