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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEEwGZixc6Y
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Lost weekend?
So the Red Sox dropped 2 of 3 to the Yankees and, for all intents and purposes, said goodbye to any chance of taking the AL East division title this season.
And with 39 games to go in the regular season, it's all about the following numbers -- 1, 6, 20, 22.
1 - The Wild Card standings currently have the Sawx sporting a one-game lead over the Rangers. The Sawx currently have a 2-7 record against the Rangers, who just dropped 2 of 3 against the Rays, the other serious Wild card contender. Which brings us to...
6 - That's the number of games the Sawx have remaining against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Sawx have posted a 4-8 mark against the Rays this season, looking old and slow against the youthful Rays. The six games are split evenly - 3 in Boston, 3 in Tampa - and that bears watching, as the Sawx have gone 3-3 vs. the Rays at home, but 1-5 at the Trop. At the very least, they need to hold serve against the Rays at Fenway and try and steal two games at Tampa. FYI - the Rays are 3 games back of the Sawx in the Wild Card standings.
20 - At 70-53, the Sawx have 39 games left, of which 20 (slightly more than half for you math majors out there) are against teams with winning records. Eleven of those games are at Fenway, where the Sawx are 39-20 (vs. 31-33 on the road).
22 - Of those 39 remaining games, 22 are at home. The Sawx need to take advantage of this advantage and win these home games, especially since they finish the season with 7 games at home vs. the under-achieving Blue Jays and Indians, both of whom should be well into "playing for next year" mode by the end of September.
Before I sign off, a quick note on last night's 8-4 homer-happy loss to the Yankees last night. After both Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui hit Josh Beckett's first-pitch fastball home runs to start the first and second innings, respectively, I turned to Mrs. Wikked Hahd and said "I guess the Yanks plan is look first-pitch fastball for tonight"...
Come to find out that indeed was the case, as almost all of the Yankees homers on Sunday came on first-pitch fastballs and two-strike curveballs - Buster Olney on ESPN.com pointed that out here (scroll down to the "Sunday's Games" segment). So why could I see that but Beckett, Jason Varitek, Terry Francona and John Farrell couldn't? Is it because of Beckett's legendary stubborness? Or is he due for some pounding after being so brilliant for so long? He insists he's healthy and has no physical issues, so it could just be a blip.
Either way, it's never a good sign when I can see what's going on from my couch better than the Sawx from the field.
And with 39 games to go in the regular season, it's all about the following numbers -- 1, 6, 20, 22.
1 - The Wild Card standings currently have the Sawx sporting a one-game lead over the Rangers. The Sawx currently have a 2-7 record against the Rangers, who just dropped 2 of 3 against the Rays, the other serious Wild card contender. Which brings us to...
6 - That's the number of games the Sawx have remaining against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Sawx have posted a 4-8 mark against the Rays this season, looking old and slow against the youthful Rays. The six games are split evenly - 3 in Boston, 3 in Tampa - and that bears watching, as the Sawx have gone 3-3 vs. the Rays at home, but 1-5 at the Trop. At the very least, they need to hold serve against the Rays at Fenway and try and steal two games at Tampa. FYI - the Rays are 3 games back of the Sawx in the Wild Card standings.
20 - At 70-53, the Sawx have 39 games left, of which 20 (slightly more than half for you math majors out there) are against teams with winning records. Eleven of those games are at Fenway, where the Sawx are 39-20 (vs. 31-33 on the road).
22 - Of those 39 remaining games, 22 are at home. The Sawx need to take advantage of this advantage and win these home games, especially since they finish the season with 7 games at home vs. the under-achieving Blue Jays and Indians, both of whom should be well into "playing for next year" mode by the end of September.
Before I sign off, a quick note on last night's 8-4 homer-happy loss to the Yankees last night. After both Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui hit Josh Beckett's first-pitch fastball home runs to start the first and second innings, respectively, I turned to Mrs. Wikked Hahd and said "I guess the Yanks plan is look first-pitch fastball for tonight"...
Come to find out that indeed was the case, as almost all of the Yankees homers on Sunday came on first-pitch fastballs and two-strike curveballs - Buster Olney on ESPN.com pointed that out here (scroll down to the "Sunday's Games" segment). So why could I see that but Beckett, Jason Varitek, Terry Francona and John Farrell couldn't? Is it because of Beckett's legendary stubborness? Or is he due for some pounding after being so brilliant for so long? He insists he's healthy and has no physical issues, so it could just be a blip.
Either way, it's never a good sign when I can see what's going on from my couch better than the Sawx from the field.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Favre = Chump.
I know this space is reserved for Baw-stahn spoohts postings, but I just had to say...
Brett Favre is a chump.
Why do we care? It's a freaking joke. The guy is killing his reputation and legacy in some sad Quixotic quest to remain relevant. And like Roger Clemens - the most recent "can't let go" athlete - he's ruining any goodwill from his career because he craves the spotlight too much to go off into the sunset (holy mixed metaphors!).
In the process, he's making fools of all football writers - from Peter King on down - whom he told just weeks ago that he was "done" and was "really" retired. Imagine you're Peter king: Favre is your real football BFF with whom you've shared innumerable dinners, locker room chats and text messages. He tells you "I'm done" and you report it to the world, only to have him reverse field a week later and come back. So now King, who is to the NFL what Peter Gammons is to baseball, looks like a fool. You think his reputation didn't take a hit and he's not upset? Check out the first half of this story for the former, and this one for the latter.
Don't forget, he's also pissing off his die-hard fans in Green Bay, folks who stood in sub-zero weather with foam cheeseheads on their head cheering for their icon. So now his fans look like fools, the football media cognoscenti look like fools, and - worst of all - he's burning bridges left and right.
Sigh... when November rolls around and he's hurt again and throwing wounded ducks up for grabs - ruining the Vikings chances for the playoffs and beyond - we'll all have to go through another stupid news cycle of "Favre done?" again. Only this time, hopefully no one will want to listen.
Hopefully...
Brett Favre is a chump.
Why do we care? It's a freaking joke. The guy is killing his reputation and legacy in some sad Quixotic quest to remain relevant. And like Roger Clemens - the most recent "can't let go" athlete - he's ruining any goodwill from his career because he craves the spotlight too much to go off into the sunset (holy mixed metaphors!).
In the process, he's making fools of all football writers - from Peter King on down - whom he told just weeks ago that he was "done" and was "really" retired. Imagine you're Peter king: Favre is your real football BFF with whom you've shared innumerable dinners, locker room chats and text messages. He tells you "I'm done" and you report it to the world, only to have him reverse field a week later and come back. So now King, who is to the NFL what Peter Gammons is to baseball, looks like a fool. You think his reputation didn't take a hit and he's not upset? Check out the first half of this story for the former, and this one for the latter.
Don't forget, he's also pissing off his die-hard fans in Green Bay, folks who stood in sub-zero weather with foam cheeseheads on their head cheering for their icon. So now his fans look like fools, the football media cognoscenti look like fools, and - worst of all - he's burning bridges left and right.
Sigh... when November rolls around and he's hurt again and throwing wounded ducks up for grabs - ruining the Vikings chances for the playoffs and beyond - we'll all have to go through another stupid news cycle of "Favre done?" again. Only this time, hopefully no one will want to listen.
Hopefully...
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Drew-ing a blank
Quick quiz, "Jeopardy"-style: Five years, $70 million, highest per-year salary on the team in 2009.
Answer: Who is J.D. Drew?
That's right - the highest-paid player on the Boston Red Sox is not Josh Beckett, not Jonathan Papelbon, not Kevin Youkilis, not Jason Bay, and not Dustin Pedroia. Heck, not even David Ortiz.
And for that $14 million per year investment, the Sawx have gotten the following: 43 HRs, 173 RBI, 225 R, and a .269 Avg. in 2-3/4 seasons... meanwhile, Drew has done nothing to shed his injury-prone reputation, playing in 80 percent of his team's games (349 of a possible 442, counting last night). It's not for nothing that Bill Conlin, a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News (a city Drew famously spurned because they wouldn't pay him the Scott Boras-demanded $10 million as a draft pick), once called Drew "Superwuss" for his myriad of injuries.
By contrast, each of the positional players named (Youkilis, Bay & Pedroia) have played in 90% of those games -- collectively -- while making $15.8 million total. And each has more runs, more RBI, more HR and a higher batting average in that span.
What's most maddening, tho, is looking at the players currently outperforming Drew for other teams for a fraction of the cost, knowing that the Sawx are on the hook for Drew's salary for another 2 & 1/4 seasons, which hurts when you consider that Youkilis and Pedroia both have bigger salaries that kick in next season and Bay is a free agent at the end of this season, and you have to believe that Drew's salary will be a sticking point in those negotiations.
In his defense, you can't quite call Drew's salary "dead money" because chances are, on one of those days when he DOES play, he COULD do something to help the team win at least one game. Unfortunately, no one -- not Terry Francona, not his teammates, not Theo "J.D. has naked pictures of me" Epstein, and especially not Red Sox Nation -- knows when those days or that game will be. It's just as likely to be in a meaningless May game as it is in Game 6 of the 2007 ALCS to send the Sawx to a decisive Game 7 and eventual World Series title.
So when you watch Drew strike out on bad pitches out of the strike zone, bounce out to the second basemen to kill a rally, or pull up on a line drive to right field, it is enough to make you nuts. Last night's bad strikeout in the eighth inning (on an inside fastball around his eyebrows) and obvious pull-up on a line drive to him that scored two runs and prolonged a painful inning only serve as Exhibits 100 & 101 of how frustrating a player he is.
By all accounts, Drew is a nice guy -- respectful, deferential, a good husband and father (most players aren't either, let alone one or the other) -- but appears to be an indifferent teammate and not a "gamer" (on a team full of them) willing to "grind it out" and play hurt for the team.
And therein lies the rub -- he's a talented player who has proven that he can be a game-changing force, but has never delivered on that talent and seems to not give a crap either way. Epstein was captivated by the promise of that talent, and is now hostage to it.
And so are we... but just think: Only 2 & 1/4 seasons and $30 million or so left to go.
Answer: Who is J.D. Drew?
That's right - the highest-paid player on the Boston Red Sox is not Josh Beckett, not Jonathan Papelbon, not Kevin Youkilis, not Jason Bay, and not Dustin Pedroia. Heck, not even David Ortiz.
And for that $14 million per year investment, the Sawx have gotten the following: 43 HRs, 173 RBI, 225 R, and a .269 Avg. in 2-3/4 seasons... meanwhile, Drew has done nothing to shed his injury-prone reputation, playing in 80 percent of his team's games (349 of a possible 442, counting last night). It's not for nothing that Bill Conlin, a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News (a city Drew famously spurned because they wouldn't pay him the Scott Boras-demanded $10 million as a draft pick), once called Drew "Superwuss" for his myriad of injuries.
By contrast, each of the positional players named (Youkilis, Bay & Pedroia) have played in 90% of those games -- collectively -- while making $15.8 million total. And each has more runs, more RBI, more HR and a higher batting average in that span.
What's most maddening, tho, is looking at the players currently outperforming Drew for other teams for a fraction of the cost, knowing that the Sawx are on the hook for Drew's salary for another 2 & 1/4 seasons, which hurts when you consider that Youkilis and Pedroia both have bigger salaries that kick in next season and Bay is a free agent at the end of this season, and you have to believe that Drew's salary will be a sticking point in those negotiations.
In his defense, you can't quite call Drew's salary "dead money" because chances are, on one of those days when he DOES play, he COULD do something to help the team win at least one game. Unfortunately, no one -- not Terry Francona, not his teammates, not Theo "J.D. has naked pictures of me" Epstein, and especially not Red Sox Nation -- knows when those days or that game will be. It's just as likely to be in a meaningless May game as it is in Game 6 of the 2007 ALCS to send the Sawx to a decisive Game 7 and eventual World Series title.
So when you watch Drew strike out on bad pitches out of the strike zone, bounce out to the second basemen to kill a rally, or pull up on a line drive to right field, it is enough to make you nuts. Last night's bad strikeout in the eighth inning (on an inside fastball around his eyebrows) and obvious pull-up on a line drive to him that scored two runs and prolonged a painful inning only serve as Exhibits 100 & 101 of how frustrating a player he is.
By all accounts, Drew is a nice guy -- respectful, deferential, a good husband and father (most players aren't either, let alone one or the other) -- but appears to be an indifferent teammate and not a "gamer" (on a team full of them) willing to "grind it out" and play hurt for the team.
And therein lies the rub -- he's a talented player who has proven that he can be a game-changing force, but has never delivered on that talent and seems to not give a crap either way. Epstein was captivated by the promise of that talent, and is now hostage to it.
And so are we... but just think: Only 2 & 1/4 seasons and $30 million or so left to go.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Stick a fork in them?
It's August 17 - six weeks to go in the season, and the Red Sox are now trailing in both the AL East and Wild Card standings.
7-1/2 games back of the Yankees, 1/2 game back of the Rangers. 12-17 in their last 29 games.
This is not a blip - it's a trend, and it's looking ugly.
Beyond wins & losses, though, is this troubling statistical split -- 118 and 20. The first number is the amount of stolen bases allowed by the Sawx pitching/catching batteries this season, the second is the number of runners caught stealing. That's a 98 stolen-base split... yikes. In fact, the Sawx are last in both stolen bases allowed and runners thrown out.
As the Tampa Bay Rays have demonstrated in nearly every game against Boston this season -- and as the Texas Rangers painfully reinforced this weekend (8 steals in 3 games) -- today's game is a speed/defense/pitching game, and not the bash people's heads in game of past years. Sure, everyone knows that, and the Sawx are Exhibit A writ large of what can happen when you fall behind the athlete curve.
As a team, the Sawx have stolen 92 bases and succeed in their steals 75 percent of the time -- fourth in the AL in both categories. Those rankings, though, are deceptive: Jacoby Ellbury has 53 of the Sawx 92 steals, and is the only player on the team with 20+ steals and a plus-75% success rate (generally considered the cut-off for an effective base-stealer). By contrast, the Rays have 3 players with 20+ steals, each exceeding 75% in their success rates (Carl Crawford 54 steals, 84% success rate; B.J Upton 35 steals, 76% success rate, Jason Bartlett 21 steals, 88 % success rate) and a team mark of 80% success rate (158 steals, 39 caught), which trails only Texas (84%) in the base-stealing efficiency ranks.
Here's another troubling fact -- the Sawx are now the sixth-best fielding team in the league by fielding percentage (.984 - total assists & putouts/total chances), but that's deceiving when you consider that the Sawx have the fewest amount of total chances in the league. Some of that is due to the pitching staff, which has struck out the second-most batters (900) in the league - after all, you can't catch the ball if the batter strikes out - but the Sawx have also allowed better than a hit per inning (1.02 H/IP). Amongst contending teams - division leaders and wild-card contenders - only the AL West-leading Angels have allowed more.
Number, numbers, numbers... what does this all REALLY mean? It means that the Sawx, who for the last three season either had the highest or tied for the highest fielding percentage in the AL, are slipping behind their competition. Hence the trade for Alex Gonzalez to solve their shortstop problem, the shuffling of Mike Lowell between 3B and DH, the move of Youkilis to 3B, the trade for Casey Kotchman, bringing up Josh Reddick, etc. - all moves designed to make the Sawx better in on defense.
When you consider that the 3-5 spots in the pitching rotation currently sport a collective ERA of almost 6.00 and a WHIP (walks + hits/IP) of almost 2.00, it's critical for this team to be able to get outs in the field and control the base paths. And the Sawx are just not getting it done in those departments - and no amount of production from the offense will fix that. You can't beat the opposition if you can't get them out or stop them from running on your pitchers/catchers.
The truth is, this team's flaws were evident early in the season, but the line-up was producing (Big Papi's season-long funk notwithstanding) so they weren't as obvious. But now they are... and I'm not sure how they can be fixed as we move into the Aug/Sept stretch drive.
And that, more than the lack of production from Papi, J.D. Drew, Jason Varitek, etc., may have the Sawx on the outside looking in when the playoffs roll around.
7-1/2 games back of the Yankees, 1/2 game back of the Rangers. 12-17 in their last 29 games.
This is not a blip - it's a trend, and it's looking ugly.
Beyond wins & losses, though, is this troubling statistical split -- 118 and 20. The first number is the amount of stolen bases allowed by the Sawx pitching/catching batteries this season, the second is the number of runners caught stealing. That's a 98 stolen-base split... yikes. In fact, the Sawx are last in both stolen bases allowed and runners thrown out.
As the Tampa Bay Rays have demonstrated in nearly every game against Boston this season -- and as the Texas Rangers painfully reinforced this weekend (8 steals in 3 games) -- today's game is a speed/defense/pitching game, and not the bash people's heads in game of past years. Sure, everyone knows that, and the Sawx are Exhibit A writ large of what can happen when you fall behind the athlete curve.
As a team, the Sawx have stolen 92 bases and succeed in their steals 75 percent of the time -- fourth in the AL in both categories. Those rankings, though, are deceptive: Jacoby Ellbury has 53 of the Sawx 92 steals, and is the only player on the team with 20+ steals and a plus-75% success rate (generally considered the cut-off for an effective base-stealer). By contrast, the Rays have 3 players with 20+ steals, each exceeding 75% in their success rates (Carl Crawford 54 steals, 84% success rate; B.J Upton 35 steals, 76% success rate, Jason Bartlett 21 steals, 88 % success rate) and a team mark of 80% success rate (158 steals, 39 caught), which trails only Texas (84%) in the base-stealing efficiency ranks.
Here's another troubling fact -- the Sawx are now the sixth-best fielding team in the league by fielding percentage (.984 - total assists & putouts/total chances), but that's deceiving when you consider that the Sawx have the fewest amount of total chances in the league. Some of that is due to the pitching staff, which has struck out the second-most batters (900) in the league - after all, you can't catch the ball if the batter strikes out - but the Sawx have also allowed better than a hit per inning (1.02 H/IP). Amongst contending teams - division leaders and wild-card contenders - only the AL West-leading Angels have allowed more.
Number, numbers, numbers... what does this all REALLY mean? It means that the Sawx, who for the last three season either had the highest or tied for the highest fielding percentage in the AL, are slipping behind their competition. Hence the trade for Alex Gonzalez to solve their shortstop problem, the shuffling of Mike Lowell between 3B and DH, the move of Youkilis to 3B, the trade for Casey Kotchman, bringing up Josh Reddick, etc. - all moves designed to make the Sawx better in on defense.
When you consider that the 3-5 spots in the pitching rotation currently sport a collective ERA of almost 6.00 and a WHIP (walks + hits/IP) of almost 2.00, it's critical for this team to be able to get outs in the field and control the base paths. And the Sawx are just not getting it done in those departments - and no amount of production from the offense will fix that. You can't beat the opposition if you can't get them out or stop them from running on your pitchers/catchers.
The truth is, this team's flaws were evident early in the season, but the line-up was producing (Big Papi's season-long funk notwithstanding) so they weren't as obvious. But now they are... and I'm not sure how they can be fixed as we move into the Aug/Sept stretch drive.
And that, more than the lack of production from Papi, J.D. Drew, Jason Varitek, etc., may have the Sawx on the outside looking in when the playoffs roll around.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Waay Late Posting - Sawx pitching staff
OK - so the whole "come back tomorrow and read my thoughts on the Sawx pitching staff" thingie didn't really work out so well. Here it is, three weeks into the season, and I am finally posting part two of my Sawx season preview.
Damn you, Life and your incessant busy-ness! Damn you, uber-successful Boston pro sports teams! Damn you, springtime and your siren song of warm weather and late sunsets!
And, just for fun, you damn dirty apes!
Now that I have that out of my system, here's my preview of the Sawx pitching staff, striving for objectivity but influenced by the mixed results of the first three weeks of the 2009 season.
Starting Rotation
Josh Beckett - Any conversation about the Sawx pitching staff's ability to make a postseason run begins with Beckett, the unquestioned "ace" of the staff and the veritable bell cow of the Sawx pitching staff. If he's right, he can carry the team to the promised land; if he's not, he might still be able to keep the team chugging along. And he only seems to be getting better, especially now that he's figured out how to harness his 90+ fastball, killer curve and has added a legit changeup. Three starts into 2009, we've seen one great start (Opening Day vs. the Rays - 7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 10 K) and two middling starts (start #2 vs. Angels - 6 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, one near-brawl with Bobby Abreu; start #3 vs. Orioles - 6 IP, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 K). If we can get more of the former, and less of the latter, this team will go a long way.
Jon Lester - His breakthrough 2008 season saw Lester put it all together. Long known for his fastball/curve combo, Lester starting mixing in a slider and a changeup, with fantastic results - 16-6, 3.21 ERA, 152 Ks, 210 IP - wearing down only in his final start of the playoffs against the Rays, where he dropped consecutive starts. Heading into this season, Lester seemed primed to emerge as the 1A to Beckett's 1, the only concern being the possible effects of a 147-inning bump in his workload. After a couple of rough starts against Tampa Bay (5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER) and Oakland (6 IP, 10 H, 6 ER), he bounced back with a vintage 2008 Lester outing against the Orioles, going 7 innings, whiffing 9 batters and allowing just 4 hits. It would appear he's turned the corner; let's see what happens when he faces the Yankees, Rays, et al.
Daisuke Matsuzaka - Oh boy. The worst fears of Red Sox Nation about Dice-K came true, quite quickly, this season. After pitching in - and being named the MVP of - the WBC, Dice-K started the season with a vintage100-pitch, five-inning outing against the Rays (3 HRs allowed) in which he took the loss. Unfortunately, that would be his best outing of the season, as he would go just one inning in his next appearance, throwing 43 pitches, giving up 5 hits and 2 walks, and five runs. Following the game, he went on the DL with a tired shoulder & arm. Time will tell if his WBC outings - 98 pitches in one four-inning stint - have taken a toll. The Sawx can survive without Dice-K for a while, but the deep lineups in their division will catch up with them if they don't have that extra starter, whether it's Dice-K, John Smoltz, or whomever else.
Tim Wakefield - The guy is amazing... he's 42 years old and still has that knuckleball fluttering. His versatility and longevity make him a valuable asset for this team, and if they can handle the standard two-week tired arm period in mid-season, Wakefield will continue to give this team 27-30 starts, 180+ innings, and 11-14 wins - all key compenents to helping this team compete and go deep into the postseason. He has two World Series rings and the eternal respect of his peers as a gamer and a stalwart member of the Sawx rotation.
Brad Penny - To reference myself "[S]ay what you want about [Penny's] injury history, but remember two things: He is just two seasons removed from a dominant season, and he is now in a rotation with his old Marlins buddy Josh Beckett. Remember when the Marlins had a rotation of Beckett, Carl Pavano, Brad Penny and A.J. Burnett and won the 2003 World Series? Good to have 1/2 of that quartet with the Sox." Well, Penny's had two starts in 2009 - one decent, one decidely awful - and has looked like, well, a fifth starter. One thing to remember: In Penny's career at Fenway, including his April 17 home start against the Orioles (3 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 5 BB), he has pitched a total of 8 innings and allowed a whopping 17 runs. That's a 19.13 ERA...
Bullpen
Some quick hits on these guys:
- Ramon Ramirez - been as good as advertised. Great fastball, decent slider/change, gets outs as a strikeout/fly ball pitcher. He's allowed 3 hits in 26 ABs over 8 IP. A great pick-up thus far for the 7th or 8th inning bridge to Papelbon.
- Manny Delcarmen - appears to have comfortably settled in to his middle relief role, overpowering hitters with fastballs and getting key outs in his 8 innings thus far. He may never be the power set-up guy he was drafted to be, but he will give this team a lot of value by filling the middle innings to get to the set-up guys.
- Javier Lopez - after a great 2008, Lopez has been a bit bumpy this year, posting a 2.57 WHIP in seven appearances this season. He gets guys out; he just might give you a heart attack in doing so, throwing an average of more than 20 pitches per inning to do it.
- Takashi Saito - appears to be a real steal. Thought to be done because of elbow troubles, Saito has been a valuable addition, proving the Sawx gambled right in adding him to be a set-up guy and a secondary closer. Although he has an ERA over 6, Saito is averaging more than a strikeout per inning and has a save and a hold in his four appearances.
- Hideki Okajima - despite a bumpy start to 2009, Okajima has settled into a nice groove, with 6 Ks in his last appearances and two holds, setting up Papelbon nicely. If he can continue to work his fastball/curve/changeup mix effectively, he should remain one of the Sawx primary set-up guys and key cogs in this bullpen.
- Justin Masterson - an emerging stud in this pitching staff. His versatility - he can be a reliever, pick up spot starts in Dice-K's absence, and even close if needed - is unmatched on this team (maybe only Wakefield is as versatile), and his ability to get swings & misses on his sinker and plus fastball, mixing in a slider and occasional changeup, make him a real asset to this team. His future is bright indeed.
- Jonathan Papelbon - he's basically become a fastball-only guy, mixing in his self-proclaimed "slutter" (slider/cutter). He can still bust out the splitter ocassionally, but with his plus fastball and control, he usually doesn't need it (his April 11 outing against the Angels notwithstanding). he still gets a ton of swing & misses, and can make batters look silly waving at his stuff. if he can avoid the tired shoulder that's plagued him at the end of the last few seasons, Paps will stay one of the most valuable Sawx - and pitchers - on the team.
Damn you, Life and your incessant busy-ness! Damn you, uber-successful Boston pro sports teams! Damn you, springtime and your siren song of warm weather and late sunsets!
And, just for fun, you damn dirty apes!
Now that I have that out of my system, here's my preview of the Sawx pitching staff, striving for objectivity but influenced by the mixed results of the first three weeks of the 2009 season.
Starting Rotation
Josh Beckett - Any conversation about the Sawx pitching staff's ability to make a postseason run begins with Beckett, the unquestioned "ace" of the staff and the veritable bell cow of the Sawx pitching staff. If he's right, he can carry the team to the promised land; if he's not, he might still be able to keep the team chugging along. And he only seems to be getting better, especially now that he's figured out how to harness his 90+ fastball, killer curve and has added a legit changeup. Three starts into 2009, we've seen one great start (Opening Day vs. the Rays - 7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 10 K) and two middling starts (start #2 vs. Angels - 6 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, one near-brawl with Bobby Abreu; start #3 vs. Orioles - 6 IP, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 K). If we can get more of the former, and less of the latter, this team will go a long way.
Jon Lester - His breakthrough 2008 season saw Lester put it all together. Long known for his fastball/curve combo, Lester starting mixing in a slider and a changeup, with fantastic results - 16-6, 3.21 ERA, 152 Ks, 210 IP - wearing down only in his final start of the playoffs against the Rays, where he dropped consecutive starts. Heading into this season, Lester seemed primed to emerge as the 1A to Beckett's 1, the only concern being the possible effects of a 147-inning bump in his workload. After a couple of rough starts against Tampa Bay (5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER) and Oakland (6 IP, 10 H, 6 ER), he bounced back with a vintage 2008 Lester outing against the Orioles, going 7 innings, whiffing 9 batters and allowing just 4 hits. It would appear he's turned the corner; let's see what happens when he faces the Yankees, Rays, et al.
Daisuke Matsuzaka - Oh boy. The worst fears of Red Sox Nation about Dice-K came true, quite quickly, this season. After pitching in - and being named the MVP of - the WBC, Dice-K started the season with a vintage100-pitch, five-inning outing against the Rays (3 HRs allowed) in which he took the loss. Unfortunately, that would be his best outing of the season, as he would go just one inning in his next appearance, throwing 43 pitches, giving up 5 hits and 2 walks, and five runs. Following the game, he went on the DL with a tired shoulder & arm. Time will tell if his WBC outings - 98 pitches in one four-inning stint - have taken a toll. The Sawx can survive without Dice-K for a while, but the deep lineups in their division will catch up with them if they don't have that extra starter, whether it's Dice-K, John Smoltz, or whomever else.
Tim Wakefield - The guy is amazing... he's 42 years old and still has that knuckleball fluttering. His versatility and longevity make him a valuable asset for this team, and if they can handle the standard two-week tired arm period in mid-season, Wakefield will continue to give this team 27-30 starts, 180+ innings, and 11-14 wins - all key compenents to helping this team compete and go deep into the postseason. He has two World Series rings and the eternal respect of his peers as a gamer and a stalwart member of the Sawx rotation.
Brad Penny - To reference myself "[S]ay what you want about [Penny's] injury history, but remember two things: He is just two seasons removed from a dominant season, and he is now in a rotation with his old Marlins buddy Josh Beckett. Remember when the Marlins had a rotation of Beckett, Carl Pavano, Brad Penny and A.J. Burnett and won the 2003 World Series? Good to have 1/2 of that quartet with the Sox." Well, Penny's had two starts in 2009 - one decent, one decidely awful - and has looked like, well, a fifth starter. One thing to remember: In Penny's career at Fenway, including his April 17 home start against the Orioles (3 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 5 BB), he has pitched a total of 8 innings and allowed a whopping 17 runs. That's a 19.13 ERA...
Bullpen
Some quick hits on these guys:
- Ramon Ramirez - been as good as advertised. Great fastball, decent slider/change, gets outs as a strikeout/fly ball pitcher. He's allowed 3 hits in 26 ABs over 8 IP. A great pick-up thus far for the 7th or 8th inning bridge to Papelbon.
- Manny Delcarmen - appears to have comfortably settled in to his middle relief role, overpowering hitters with fastballs and getting key outs in his 8 innings thus far. He may never be the power set-up guy he was drafted to be, but he will give this team a lot of value by filling the middle innings to get to the set-up guys.
- Javier Lopez - after a great 2008, Lopez has been a bit bumpy this year, posting a 2.57 WHIP in seven appearances this season. He gets guys out; he just might give you a heart attack in doing so, throwing an average of more than 20 pitches per inning to do it.
- Takashi Saito - appears to be a real steal. Thought to be done because of elbow troubles, Saito has been a valuable addition, proving the Sawx gambled right in adding him to be a set-up guy and a secondary closer. Although he has an ERA over 6, Saito is averaging more than a strikeout per inning and has a save and a hold in his four appearances.
- Hideki Okajima - despite a bumpy start to 2009, Okajima has settled into a nice groove, with 6 Ks in his last appearances and two holds, setting up Papelbon nicely. If he can continue to work his fastball/curve/changeup mix effectively, he should remain one of the Sawx primary set-up guys and key cogs in this bullpen.
- Justin Masterson - an emerging stud in this pitching staff. His versatility - he can be a reliever, pick up spot starts in Dice-K's absence, and even close if needed - is unmatched on this team (maybe only Wakefield is as versatile), and his ability to get swings & misses on his sinker and plus fastball, mixing in a slider and occasional changeup, make him a real asset to this team. His future is bright indeed.
- Jonathan Papelbon - he's basically become a fastball-only guy, mixing in his self-proclaimed "slutter" (slider/cutter). He can still bust out the splitter ocassionally, but with his plus fastball and control, he usually doesn't need it (his April 11 outing against the Angels notwithstanding). he still gets a ton of swing & misses, and can make batters look silly waving at his stuff. if he can avoid the tired shoulder that's plagued him at the end of the last few seasons, Paps will stay one of the most valuable Sawx - and pitchers - on the team.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
2009 Sawx Preview - "Are you ready for a war?!?!"
So it's finally upon us... the 2009 Red Sox season is less than a week away and it's time to begin the battle for the AL East.
With the Yanks having spent gazillions on a new pitching staff and Mark Teixeira, and the Rays maturing (and adding a potent bat in Pat Burrell), it's pretty clear that this season will be one of the most challenging - and most exciting - in recent memory for the Sawx.
The Sawx, who rightly believe that their team was not that far from championship caliber last season, spent their offseason tweaking the roster around the edges, adding some high-risk/high-reward types to the rotation (Brad Penny & John Smoltz), the bullpen (Takashi Saito) and the positional roster (Rocco Baldelli) while making sure they locked their younger core players - Dustin Pedroia, KevinYoukilis, Jon Lester - into long-term, team-friendly contracts.
Was that strategy prudent? Will the new guys, balanced with some other fresh faces from within (George Kottaras, Jed Lowrie) and without (Ramon Ramirez), be enough to match the dazzling free agents and emerging super-duper-stars of the Yanks & Rays? Well... that's why we play the games!
So, with Tony Massarotti offering his preview on the Sawx today, I thought I'd spend a little time giving my two cents on the Sawx position players and line-up. Tomorrow I'll do the rotation and bullpen... And around the diamond we go!
POSITION PLAYERS
Catcher - Jason Varitek, George Kottaras
You get the feeling that this position is a work in progress, because there's no way that the Sawx make it through the entire season with this tandem. Varitek has done it all for the Sawx - who can forget his dust-up with A-Rod, big homer in last year's ALCS vs. the Rays, or the way he calmly guided young studs Jon Lester and Clay Bucholz through their no-hitters - but the window isn't just closing on him; it's just about shut. A .220 batting average last year and declining OPS (career-high .872 in 2004 to last year's .672) don't bode well for the Captain's future with the Sawx. Kottaras, a rookie this season and will be the designated Wakefield catcher to start, has just five major league ABs and seems to have gotten the job because he's cheaper and younger than Josh Bard, who was supposed to have been Wake's caddy this season. Don't be surprised if the Sawx make a move for a better catching prospect (Miguel Montero, Taylor Teagrden, Jarrod Saltalamachia) come mid-season.
First Base - Kevin Youkilis, Chris Carter/Mark Kotsay (injured)
What was once a bit of black hole for the Sawx (Kevin Millar, where have you gone? Toronto, that's where) has become a position of considerable strength thanks to the sterling glovework of Kevin Youkilis and the emrgence of Chris Carter. Youkilis, who has become - arguably - one of the premier firstbasemen in the A.L., emerged last season as a legit MVP candidate with his .312/29/115 campaign at the plate and a Gold Glove in the field. A slight drop-off is probably expected this season as pitcher get smart to how to get him out (down & in or get him to chase), but .300/20-25/95-105 would seem reachable, especially if he has good protection from Drew/Bay/Lowell in the line-up. As for Carter, he has been raking (.359, 6 HRs) in spring training, but may have a short-lived stay on the big club when Kotsay comes off the DL. Either way, this is a definite position of strength.
Second Base - Dustin Pedroia, Nick Green
What other superlatives can you bestow on Pedroia that haven't already been given to him? Video game coverboy... Reigning MVP... WBC leader for Team USA... and in the meantime, serious ball-buster and "iron worker" in the offseason. Teh guy once thought of as too small and with a swing too big is considered to be the best at his position in all of baseball. It'll be tough to top last year's scintillating MVP campaign (.327/17/83/20 SBs, .869 OPS), but it seems likely that Pedroia might be putting up those numbers here for a while. And, having already stated his desire to play every day, it's unlikely Nick Green will ever see significant playing time, which is too bad, because Green has been terrific this spring (.345, 2 HRs, great defense), but his great versatility will be a plus for the Sawx in the early part of the season.
Shortstop - Jed Lowrie, Green/Julio Lugo (injured)
Ah, yes... the NEW black hole of the Sawx. Ever since Nomah's departure in July 2004, the Sox shortstop carousel has seen the likes of Orlando Cabrera, Alex Gonzalez, Edgar Renteria, Tony Graffanino, Alex Cora, Royce Clayton, Lugo, and now Lowrie trotting out to the "6." Now, with Lugo on the DL and Lowrie having proven himself in the crucible of a pennant race, it looks like the Sox will break camp with the steady Lowrie at short, and Green backing him up until Lugo comes off the DL in mid-April. Chances are, Lugo will then get the bulk of the ABs at short because of his salary, but Lowrie may be back in the lineup full-time by mid-season if Lugo reverts to form. Stay tuned...
Third Base - Mike Lowell, Jed Lowrie (Youkilis)
One of the bigger question marks of spring training has been Lowell's status coming back from offseason hip surgery. The prognosis is good, but Lowell is 35 and plays a position where bending, twisting and diving occur on a regular basis, which means that his hip - repaired or not - will be under stress all season. If he stays healthy, he's a line-drive machine who has seen his doubles stroke pay off well in Fenway (he peppers the Green Monstah) and is good for .280/17-20/85-95 easy. If he's hurt, we'll see Youk slide over to 3B with Lowrie/Green taking the occasional spot start. Either way, this is an ongoing area of concern for the Sawx - I for one hope Lowell makes it thru, because when right he is a prime asset for this team in the field, at the plate and in the clubhouse.
Left Field - Jason Bay, Rocco Baldelli
The late July trade that sent Manny packing and brough Jason Bay to town turned out to be the best thing that could have happened for the Sawx. Adding a pro like Bay to the lineup was a great addition, made even more important when Mike Lowell went down in the playoffs and Bay's right-handed power helped keep the linup balanced. Bay, who finished with a .286/31/101 line last season (.293/9/43 with the Sawx), should see similar production with his fly-ball swing and the protection he'll have in the Sawx lineup. Plus he's proven himself to be a great leftfielder in Fenway (no easy task) and has fit right in to the clubhouse. Expect .285-.290, 30 HRs, 100 RBI and a .900+ OPS. As for Baldelli, he remains a bit of an enigma. He hasn't been the same since being diagnosed with chanelothapy, and his production this spring (.194, 2 HRs, .694 OPS) hasn't looked so good. Still, he can provide pop off the bench, is a more than capable fielder with plus skills, and could prove valuable as a spot-starter. Any more than a couple of starts a week would be dicey, tho.
Center Field - Jacoby Ellsbury, Baldelli
With the trade of Coco Crisp for Ramon Ramirez in the winter, the Sawx have basically ceded the center field job to Ellsbury, and he seems poised and ready to take it. Despite wearing down at points in the season (and being benched, ironically, for Crisp in the playoffs), The Kid managed a .280/9/47 stat line for 2008, with 98 runs and 50 SBs; however, a .336 OBP as a lead-off hitter isn't gonna cut it. Ellsbury, who can fall into fly-ball ruts and gets pull-happy at the plate, combined with his well-publicized trouble with the inside fastball, needs to up that number to help make the Sawx offense go. In the field, his stellar defense and instincts mean no drop-off from Crisp, and his speed on the basepaths has really changed the Sawx offense. He is a key player for this team, seemingly poised for a breakout season if he rediscovers his 2007 late-season magic.
Right Field - J.D. Drew, Baldelli
On a lesser team without the support (cover) the Sawx line-up offers, Drew's two season in Boston thus far would be called a disaster. He followed a .270/11/64/.796 OPS 2007 with a .280/19/64/.927 line in 2008, largely inflated by a .337/12/27/1.310 OPS (!) month of June where he carried the Sawx while Big Papi dealt with his wrist. Both seasons featured flashes of brilliance combined with extended visits to the DL. Drew, who once seemed like the ideal power/OBP/fielding candidate the Sawx covet, can still be the player Theo Epstein believes he is. But extended production for a whole seaosn seems unlikely; as ESPN.com puts it, be "highly skeptical [that] Drew will ever see the high side of 500 at-bats ever again" which doesn't bode well for the Sawx. If Drew misses significant time, it could mean more ABs for Baldelli (a risk, considering his health) or a mid-season acquisition - Matt Holliday? - that could see one of the Sawx prize prospects leave in a trade. A question mark that will be answered, one way or the other.
Designated Hitter - David Ortiz, any number of other candidates
I guess theoretically, any one could DH on any given day for the Sawx, but let's be honest: If Big Papi isn't in there for 150+ games and 500+ ABs, this team is in trouble. Simply put, he is maybe the most indispensable part of the lineup. They can make do for a little while if he goes down, but Pedroia loses his protection, Youkilis loses his, and the whole line-up has to be adjusted. Papi, who missed time last season with a wrist injury, is no longer considered a lock for .300/35-40/120. If healthy, it's not unreasonable to suggest .290-.300/30/100 out of Papi, with significant numbers for walks and runs scored. And a monster chip on his shoulder, given how many people seem to be doubting him. I, for one, believe Papi can be productive for this season and return to his familair dominant position in the Sawx lineup.
Projected Opening Day Lineup
CF Ellsbury
2B Pedroia
DH Ortiz
1B Youkilis
RF Drew
LF Bay
3B Lowell
C Varitek
SS Lowrie
TOMORROW - Pitchers!
With the Yanks having spent gazillions on a new pitching staff and Mark Teixeira, and the Rays maturing (and adding a potent bat in Pat Burrell), it's pretty clear that this season will be one of the most challenging - and most exciting - in recent memory for the Sawx.
The Sawx, who rightly believe that their team was not that far from championship caliber last season, spent their offseason tweaking the roster around the edges, adding some high-risk/high-reward types to the rotation (Brad Penny & John Smoltz), the bullpen (Takashi Saito) and the positional roster (Rocco Baldelli) while making sure they locked their younger core players - Dustin Pedroia, KevinYoukilis, Jon Lester - into long-term, team-friendly contracts.
Was that strategy prudent? Will the new guys, balanced with some other fresh faces from within (George Kottaras, Jed Lowrie) and without (Ramon Ramirez), be enough to match the dazzling free agents and emerging super-duper-stars of the Yanks & Rays? Well... that's why we play the games!
So, with Tony Massarotti offering his preview on the Sawx today, I thought I'd spend a little time giving my two cents on the Sawx position players and line-up. Tomorrow I'll do the rotation and bullpen... And around the diamond we go!
POSITION PLAYERS
Catcher - Jason Varitek, George Kottaras
You get the feeling that this position is a work in progress, because there's no way that the Sawx make it through the entire season with this tandem. Varitek has done it all for the Sawx - who can forget his dust-up with A-Rod, big homer in last year's ALCS vs. the Rays, or the way he calmly guided young studs Jon Lester and Clay Bucholz through their no-hitters - but the window isn't just closing on him; it's just about shut. A .220 batting average last year and declining OPS (career-high .872 in 2004 to last year's .672) don't bode well for the Captain's future with the Sawx. Kottaras, a rookie this season and will be the designated Wakefield catcher to start, has just five major league ABs and seems to have gotten the job because he's cheaper and younger than Josh Bard, who was supposed to have been Wake's caddy this season. Don't be surprised if the Sawx make a move for a better catching prospect (Miguel Montero, Taylor Teagrden, Jarrod Saltalamachia) come mid-season.
First Base - Kevin Youkilis, Chris Carter/Mark Kotsay (injured)
What was once a bit of black hole for the Sawx (Kevin Millar, where have you gone? Toronto, that's where) has become a position of considerable strength thanks to the sterling glovework of Kevin Youkilis and the emrgence of Chris Carter. Youkilis, who has become - arguably - one of the premier firstbasemen in the A.L., emerged last season as a legit MVP candidate with his .312/29/115 campaign at the plate and a Gold Glove in the field. A slight drop-off is probably expected this season as pitcher get smart to how to get him out (down & in or get him to chase), but .300/20-25/95-105 would seem reachable, especially if he has good protection from Drew/Bay/Lowell in the line-up. As for Carter, he has been raking (.359, 6 HRs) in spring training, but may have a short-lived stay on the big club when Kotsay comes off the DL. Either way, this is a definite position of strength.
Second Base - Dustin Pedroia, Nick Green
What other superlatives can you bestow on Pedroia that haven't already been given to him? Video game coverboy... Reigning MVP... WBC leader for Team USA... and in the meantime, serious ball-buster and "iron worker" in the offseason. Teh guy once thought of as too small and with a swing too big is considered to be the best at his position in all of baseball. It'll be tough to top last year's scintillating MVP campaign (.327/17/83/20 SBs, .869 OPS), but it seems likely that Pedroia might be putting up those numbers here for a while. And, having already stated his desire to play every day, it's unlikely Nick Green will ever see significant playing time, which is too bad, because Green has been terrific this spring (.345, 2 HRs, great defense), but his great versatility will be a plus for the Sawx in the early part of the season.
Shortstop - Jed Lowrie, Green/Julio Lugo (injured)
Ah, yes... the NEW black hole of the Sawx. Ever since Nomah's departure in July 2004, the Sox shortstop carousel has seen the likes of Orlando Cabrera, Alex Gonzalez, Edgar Renteria, Tony Graffanino, Alex Cora, Royce Clayton, Lugo, and now Lowrie trotting out to the "6." Now, with Lugo on the DL and Lowrie having proven himself in the crucible of a pennant race, it looks like the Sox will break camp with the steady Lowrie at short, and Green backing him up until Lugo comes off the DL in mid-April. Chances are, Lugo will then get the bulk of the ABs at short because of his salary, but Lowrie may be back in the lineup full-time by mid-season if Lugo reverts to form. Stay tuned...
Third Base - Mike Lowell, Jed Lowrie (Youkilis)
One of the bigger question marks of spring training has been Lowell's status coming back from offseason hip surgery. The prognosis is good, but Lowell is 35 and plays a position where bending, twisting and diving occur on a regular basis, which means that his hip - repaired or not - will be under stress all season. If he stays healthy, he's a line-drive machine who has seen his doubles stroke pay off well in Fenway (he peppers the Green Monstah) and is good for .280/17-20/85-95 easy. If he's hurt, we'll see Youk slide over to 3B with Lowrie/Green taking the occasional spot start. Either way, this is an ongoing area of concern for the Sawx - I for one hope Lowell makes it thru, because when right he is a prime asset for this team in the field, at the plate and in the clubhouse.
Left Field - Jason Bay, Rocco Baldelli
The late July trade that sent Manny packing and brough Jason Bay to town turned out to be the best thing that could have happened for the Sawx. Adding a pro like Bay to the lineup was a great addition, made even more important when Mike Lowell went down in the playoffs and Bay's right-handed power helped keep the linup balanced. Bay, who finished with a .286/31/101 line last season (.293/9/43 with the Sawx), should see similar production with his fly-ball swing and the protection he'll have in the Sawx lineup. Plus he's proven himself to be a great leftfielder in Fenway (no easy task) and has fit right in to the clubhouse. Expect .285-.290, 30 HRs, 100 RBI and a .900+ OPS. As for Baldelli, he remains a bit of an enigma. He hasn't been the same since being diagnosed with chanelothapy, and his production this spring (.194, 2 HRs, .694 OPS) hasn't looked so good. Still, he can provide pop off the bench, is a more than capable fielder with plus skills, and could prove valuable as a spot-starter. Any more than a couple of starts a week would be dicey, tho.
Center Field - Jacoby Ellsbury, Baldelli
With the trade of Coco Crisp for Ramon Ramirez in the winter, the Sawx have basically ceded the center field job to Ellsbury, and he seems poised and ready to take it. Despite wearing down at points in the season (and being benched, ironically, for Crisp in the playoffs), The Kid managed a .280/9/47 stat line for 2008, with 98 runs and 50 SBs; however, a .336 OBP as a lead-off hitter isn't gonna cut it. Ellsbury, who can fall into fly-ball ruts and gets pull-happy at the plate, combined with his well-publicized trouble with the inside fastball, needs to up that number to help make the Sawx offense go. In the field, his stellar defense and instincts mean no drop-off from Crisp, and his speed on the basepaths has really changed the Sawx offense. He is a key player for this team, seemingly poised for a breakout season if he rediscovers his 2007 late-season magic.
Right Field - J.D. Drew, Baldelli
On a lesser team without the support (cover) the Sawx line-up offers, Drew's two season in Boston thus far would be called a disaster. He followed a .270/11/64/.796 OPS 2007 with a .280/19/64/.927 line in 2008, largely inflated by a .337/12/27/1.310 OPS (!) month of June where he carried the Sawx while Big Papi dealt with his wrist. Both seasons featured flashes of brilliance combined with extended visits to the DL. Drew, who once seemed like the ideal power/OBP/fielding candidate the Sawx covet, can still be the player Theo Epstein believes he is. But extended production for a whole seaosn seems unlikely; as ESPN.com puts it, be "highly skeptical [that] Drew will ever see the high side of 500 at-bats ever again" which doesn't bode well for the Sawx. If Drew misses significant time, it could mean more ABs for Baldelli (a risk, considering his health) or a mid-season acquisition - Matt Holliday? - that could see one of the Sawx prize prospects leave in a trade. A question mark that will be answered, one way or the other.
Designated Hitter - David Ortiz, any number of other candidates
I guess theoretically, any one could DH on any given day for the Sawx, but let's be honest: If Big Papi isn't in there for 150+ games and 500+ ABs, this team is in trouble. Simply put, he is maybe the most indispensable part of the lineup. They can make do for a little while if he goes down, but Pedroia loses his protection, Youkilis loses his, and the whole line-up has to be adjusted. Papi, who missed time last season with a wrist injury, is no longer considered a lock for .300/35-40/120. If healthy, it's not unreasonable to suggest .290-.300/30/100 out of Papi, with significant numbers for walks and runs scored. And a monster chip on his shoulder, given how many people seem to be doubting him. I, for one, believe Papi can be productive for this season and return to his familair dominant position in the Sawx lineup.
Projected Opening Day Lineup
CF Ellsbury
2B Pedroia
DH Ortiz
1B Youkilis
RF Drew
LF Bay
3B Lowell
C Varitek
SS Lowrie
TOMORROW - Pitchers!
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