Lead Wild-Card Race by 3.5
Michael MacDonald (August 30, 2009)
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Paul Byrd allowed just 3 hits in pitching 6 shutout innings against the Toronto Blue Jays today. (Winslow Townson/Associated Press
The Boston Red Sox could all but wrap-up another post-season appearance with a successful showing in Tampa Bay. After struggling since just before the All-Star break, the Sox appear to be building momentum based on hitting and timely pitching changes. The Red Sox are winners of 6 of their last 7 scoring 42 runs while allowing 3 or fewer runs in 4 of those 7 games. Boston hit 50 homeruns in the month of August, third highest in the team’s history.
In the closing game of the Red Sox sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays, the Red Sox trotted out two of their pitching acquisitions. Paul Bird, who hadn’t pitched since last October, scattered 3 hits over 6 innings and now leads the league with a 0.00 ERA. While that probably won’t hold up, it was encouraging to see Billy Wagner–recently picked up from the Mets and 14 months removed from Tommy John surgery–come in the 8th inning and strike out the side. Wagner was consistently pitching in the 95mph range and looked sharp.
Red Sox Shuffle Pitching
The Bird outing was impressive but some credit probably should be given to the Blue Jays hitting which, frankly, was underwhelming. Bird may not fare so well down the road against the likes of the Yankees and Angels but his presence is sorely needed. After an impressive comeback start, Tim Wakefield’s back locked up again and he will miss at least one start. The Red Sox released Brad Penny and Daisuke Matsuzaka’s rehab start for Double-A Portland was not encouraging. In his first inning against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Dice-K
gave up 5 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks. Clearly, he is not yet ready to contribute in the heat of a playoff run.
Boston Bats Impress
With pitching staff bolstered, the Sox offense becomes more potent. Even Alex Gonzalez, picked up for his shortstop fielding, has hit .296 since joining the Sox 15 games ago including 3 home runs.
Designated hitter David Ortiz is up to 22 home runs and 78 RBI’s and forms a dangerous part of the Sox infield offense. Victor Martinez is hitting .305 since joining the Sox and can catch, play first or spell Ortiz at DH. Kevin Youklis has lifted his average to .308 with 22 home runs and 77 RBIs and, when not charging terrified young pitchers on the mound, plays Gold Glove level first or third…a rare combination.
Because of the flexibility Martinez and Youklis provide, Mike Lowell doesn’t need to be an everyday player but he’s out there enough to deliver a .299 batting average with 16 homers and 66 runs batted in. Last year’s MVP Dustin Pedroia rounds out perhaps the best infield in baseball with his .301 average with 10 home runs and 57 runs batted in.
Jason Bay (.258 with 29 home runs and 92 runs batted in already), J.D. Drew (.265 with 18 homers and 63 RBIs) and Jacoby Ellsbury (.300 with 6 home runs and 46 runs batted in) comprise a rugged hitting outfield. Too boot, Ellsbury eclipsed Tommy Harper’s 1973 club-record of 54 steals. Ellsbury is at 55 with more than a month to go in the season.
Red Sox Futures
A couple of weeks ago, I was all but writing off this season’s Red Sox entry. The team was floundering and adrift. Much credit has to be given to GM Theo Epstein and skipper Terry Francona for righting the ship. The Sox are poised for a September surge into the post-season and another showdown with the Angels and Yankees. A huge three-game series with the Rays stands in the way beginning Tuesday. The Sox are just 2-15 in Tampa Bay over the last two seasons but I feel pretty good about the series coming up.
Assuming some sort of success in TB, the Sox travel to Chicago for four games with the reeling White Sox and then an 8-game home stand against Baltimore (2), Tampa Bay (3) and an intriguing mid-week series against the Los Angeles Angels (3). The Sox then travel to Baltimore for 3 games, Kansas City for 4 and then onto New York for a 3-game set with the Yankees. Boston ends the season on the road with 3 games in Toronto and 4 in Cleveland.
