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By Jimmy, 9/25/2011 10:07 am

It’s always interesting to see how certain events are framed by the writers over at Redsox.com (the team’s official website). For example, after getting crushed by the Yankees 9-1 and having their best starter chased from the game in the 3rd inning, we click on the team website and see this:

Lester off as Red Sox’s progress stalls

Yes, that’s it. Their “progress” has “stalled”.  Just to recap, the “progress” includes going 5 and 17 in September, losing 6 out of their last 7, and setting up quite possibly the worst regular season choke in baseball history.

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By Jimmy, 9/14/2011 10:28 am

9/13/11: Red Sox 18, Blue Jays 6

Box Score

If you were to analyze the pool of baseball fans in America, at both ends of the spectrum you’d notice two extremes: the old school fan who shuns statistics and relies more on intuition and first-hand experiences, and the quantitative SABR type who embraces statistics and scoffs at the gut feeling approach to baseball analysis. I probably lean towards the latter. However, there’s one thing that the SABR extremists sometimes fail to recognize: sometimes it’s OK to be irrationally sentimental. After all, we’re spending our time obsessing over men who are paid vast fortunes to hit leather balls with wooden sticks, which is a very irrational act in itself.

Therefore, I think it’s OK to throw some props towards Tim Wakefield this morning. We don’t have to pretend that he’s having a good year, or that he pitched well last night, or that the win statistic is very meaningful. For better or for worse, milestones like this one are meaningful to most observers, and that alone makes them important.

Key Players:

• Hero of the Game: Dustin Pedroia (4 for 5, 2 HRs, 4 runs, 5 RBI, 29.5% WPA)
• Goat of the Game: Brandon Morrow (5 runs allowed in 5.1 innings, -41.9% WPA)

1. With the bases loaded and two outs in the 1st, Toronto first baseman David Cooper scoops up a routine grounder hit by Josh Reddick, and air-mails the ball over the pitcher covering first. Two runs score on the error. (16.0% WPA)
2. Jacoby Ellsbury hits a solo HR with 2 outs in the 4th (12.9% WPA).
3. Dustin Pedroia immediately follows Ellsbury’s HR with one of his own (12.7% WPA).

“Panic is unbecoming.”

- Larry Lucchino, Red Sox CEO

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By Jimmy, 9/12/2011 8:15 am

9/11/11: Rays 9, Red Sox 1

Box Score

Hey, look, it’s our old friend: Humiliating Failure! It’s been years!  SO NICE TO SEE YOU.

That’s right folks, you can hold off a moment before planning that October trip into Boston, or maybe plan on going to the Aquarium or the MFA instead. After losing 5 in a row, the Red Sox are now just 3.5 games ahead of total disaster.

Key Players:

• Hero of the Game: B.J. Upton (4 for 4 with a grand slam, BB, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 runs, 16.6% WPA)
• Goat of the Game: Jon Lester (4 innings, 8 hits, 3 walks, 4 runs, -26.4% WPA)

1. Ben Zobrist hits a bases-loaded single in the 1st (9.4% WPA)
2. David Ortiz lines out to shallow left field with the bases loaded and 1 out in the 3rd (8.6% WPA).
3. B.J. Upton hits a grand slam in the 5th, sealing the deal (8.5% WPA).

Quote of the Day:

“If we keep on playing like that, we’ll be home in the tub.”

- David Ortiz, on his team’s plan for October

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By Jimmy, 9/8/2011 8:58 am

9/7/11: Blue Jays 11, Red Sox 10

Box Score

I’ve quickly gone through Tim Wakefield‘s game logs (no easy task for a guy who’s been in the Majors since the H.W. Bush administration), and from what I can tell, this is his longest streak of “winless” starts (7) since back in 2000.  Eleven years ago, when his teammates included the likes of Dante Bichette and Jose Offerman, Wakefield started 9 straight games without being credited with the victory.

I don’t think I need to explain the flaws of the Win statistic at this point, but Wakefield’s quest for win #200 is big deal simply because…it’s a big deal.  Or, as Bill Belichick might say: it is what it is.

Key Players:

• Hero of the Game: Jose Bautista (1 for 2 with a double, 2 walks, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 43.1% WPA)
• Goat of the Game: Dan Bard (5 runs allowed in the 8th inning, -42.3% WPA)

1. Edwin Encarnacion hits a bases-loaded double in the 8th, scoring all three runners (33.4% WPA)
2. Jacoby Ellsbury hits a 3-run HR in the 4th to give the Sox a 2-run lead  (30.2% WPA).
3. Jose Bautista walks with the bases loaded and two outs in the 8th, tying the game and setting up the Encarnacion double (26.7% WPA).

Quote of the Day:

“We’re trying for him. He did his job today and I didn’t do mine.’’

- Dan Bard

Other Notes:

• Kyle Weiland will start lieu of Josh Beckett Saturday against the Rays.
• Clay Buchholz played long-toss yesterday, and it’s looking like he could very well return before the regular season ends.

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By Jimmy, 9/7/2011 8:50 am

9/6/11: Red Sox 14, Blue Jays 0

Box Score

After losing four out of their last five games and watching the divisional lead begin to slip away, the Red Sox took out their angst and frustration on a hapless Canadian baseball club, mashing the Toronto Blue Jays into paste in front of a horrified Rogers Centre crowd.

I think we’ve been waiting for a game like this for quite some time. The Sox had just about everything working right last night.

Key Players:

• Hero of the Game: Adrian Gonzalez (3 for 5 with a double, 3 runs, 3 RBI, 15.8% WPA)
• Goat of the Game: Luis Perez (8 runs allowed before getting yanked, -41.0% WPA)

Top 3 Plays:

1. Adrian Gonzales gets the party started with an RBI double in the 1st  (9.3% WPA)
2. Carl Crawford hits another RBI double in the 1st  (8.2% WPA).
3. David Ortiz singles in the first to score Gonzalez (6.2% WPA).

Quote of the Day:

“I think we’ve found a new six-hole hitter on the team”

- Marco Scutaro, having a little fun after going 4 for 5

Other Notes:

• According to Pete Abraham, Jon Lester is 4-0 with a 1.16 ERA in his last 5 starts.
• The diagnosis on Josh Beckett is a bad ankle sprain, no surgery required.  He’ll miss 1 start at least. Obligatory worthless non-athlete anecdotal tidbit: a bad ankle sprain had me useless for a month back in my “prime” basketball days (by “prime”, I mean playing in a co-ed league with a bunch of hipsters).
• The AAA Pawtucket Red Sox begin their playoff series against the Iron Pigs of Lehigh Valley tonight.

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By Jimmy, 9/6/2011 9:06 am

9/5/11: Blue Jays 1, Red Sox 0 (11 innings)

Box Score

Prized Toronto rookie Brett Lawrie hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning to beat the Red Sox, and unfortunately, that’s not the worst news SOx fans received on Labor Day. Josh Beckett left the game with a right ankle injury, of which the severity is not known.  Beckett is flying to Boston to have the ankle checked out.

Obviously, any serious injury to Beckett would be awful for Boston’s championship aspirations, given how thin the rotation is at the moment. No one really wants to see John Lackey pitch one of the first 3 games of the divisional series, but it might be a necessity.

Key Players:

• Hero of the Game: Brett Lawrie (walk-off HR in 11th inning, 46.2% WPA)
• Goat of the Game: Dan Wheeler (see above, -35.7% WPA)

Top 3 Plays:

1. The HR, of course  (46.3% WPA)
2. Jonathan Papelbon strikes out Adam Lind in the 10th with 2 outs and the bases loaded (16.2% WPA).
3. Josh Reddick doubles with 1 out in the 9th (11.8% WPA).

Quote of the Day:

“I could wake up tomorrow and feel like playing basketball. We’ll just see.”

- Josh Beckett, on the uncertainty of his injury

Please don’t.

Prospect Watch:

• AAA: Third baseman Will Middlebrooks, now the #1 rated prospect at soxprospects.com, went 1 for 3 with a HR in Pawtucket’s win over Rochester.  
  
• High A: Pitcher Stolmy Pimental, whose stock has dropped drastically after a disappointing season, provided fans with a glimmer of hope by pitching 7 strong innings and only yielding 2 hits.
• Low A: Second baseman Sean Coyle, went 3 for 5 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI in Greenville’s 11-4 rout.  Sean’s Isolated Power (Slugging % – Batting Average) is .217, which is amazing given his age, frame, and position.

Other Notes:

• As the minor league season winds down, I’ll be working on a final ranking list. It will be up in a week or so, most likely.
• Chris Jaffe takes us back to 10 years ago last Friday, when one of the more memorable Red Sox – Yankees games took place:  Mike Mussina’s near-perfect game broken up by “Jurassic” Carl Everett with 2 outs in the 9th. I remember watching that game at the White Horse Tavern (a vivid memory despite my inebriated state), and jeering bitterly at some college-aged Yankees fans who were loudly cheering on Mussina. There was a world of difference between then and now, in terms of the attitude amongst Sox fans.

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By Jimmy, 8/9/2011 8:24 am

8/8/11: Red Sox 8, Twins 6

Box Score

While the Sox managed to win their third straight game, the contest was not without a modicum of heartache, as reliever Alfredo Aceves wasn’t able to hold on to Tim Wakefield’s one-run lead in the 8th inning, preventing the 45-year-old from notching his long-sought 200th win.

When Wakefield does win his 200th (and he will have a decent chance against lowly Seattle next weekend), the achievement will be unique in many ways as Chris Jaffe from THT points out in a very informative piece.

Milestones aside, the Red Sox continue to roll.

Key Players:

• Hero of the Game: David Ortiz (4 for 5, HR, 2B, go-ahead single in 9th, 3 runs, 3 RBI, 67.7% WPA)
• Goat of the Game: Joe Nathan (.1 inning, 3 hits, 1 run, -48.2% WPA)

Top 3 Plays:

1. Ortiz hits a 2-out single in the 9th inning to put the Red Sox ahead (36.1% WPA).
2. Aceves gets Michael Cuddyer to ground out with one out in the 8th, holding the tying run at 3rd (17.4% WPA).
3. Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a HR in the 6th to tie the game at 5 a piece (16.6% WPA).

Quote of the Day:

“He heard the big elephant coming.”

- David Ortiz, professing his theory as to why Joe Mauer dropped the throw to home plate allowing him to score

Prospect Watch:

• Low A: Shortstop Xander Bogarts, a guy who some describe as 18-year-old Hanley Ramirez without the star complex, went 4 for 5 with a walk-off home run in the 10th inning last night.  He has a .509 slugging percentage, which is extremely impressive considering his age and position.
  

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By Jimmy, 8/3/2011 8:40 am

8/2/11: Red Sox 3, Indians 2

Box Score

Seeing as though the Cleveland franchise insists on continuing to use their outdated logo, I suppose it’s only fitting that an actual Native American delivered the final blow in last night’s rain-soaked battle.

Key Players:

• Hero of the Game: Jacoby Ellsbury (1 for 5 with a walk-off single, 21.3% WPA)
• Goat of the Game: Vinnie Pestano (.1 inning, 3 hits allowed including the walk-off single, -35.0% WPA)

Top 3 Plays:

1. Ellsbury hits a walk-off single in the 9th, Jarrod Saltalamacchia scores from 2nd base, sliding just ahead of the tag  (28.3% WPA)
2. Kevin Youkilis hits a HR to lead off the 6th inning (16.9% WPA).
3. David Huff throws a wild pitch in the 2nd, allowing David Ortiz to score (8.3% WPA).

Quote of the Day:

“We got Salty in there — that’s the only guy we had,”

- Terry Francona, on his decision to use Saltalamacchia as a pinch runner for Jason Varitek in the 9th.

Francona’s decision is one that will ultimately be forgotten by most fans as soon as tomorrow morning, but it’s a move that paid off big. That was a very close play at the plate with Salty running, and there is no way that Jason Varitek scores there. The decision to use Saltalamacchia, who is only slightly faster than Tek, was key to last night’s victory.

Prospect Watch:

• AAA: First baseman Lars Anderson was very nearly traded last week for Oakland starter Rich Harden. Instead, the deal fell through and he’s still with Pawtucket, hitting very well of late. He went 2 for 3 with a HR and a BB last night.   
  
• High A: Outfielder Bryce Brentz went 2 for 3 with 2 HRs. He now has 24 on the year, between Low A and High A.
• R: Center fielder Williams Jerez, a high school kid from New York taken in the 2nd round of this year’s draft, went 2 for 5 with 2 stolen bases.

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By Jimmy, 7/28/2011 9:29 am

7/27/11: Red Sox 12, Royals 5

Box Score

I know we all love using arbitrary endpoints when trying to present just how hot a player has been lately, so I’m going to do it here.  Since June 4th (a span of 211 plate appearances), Dustin Pedroia is hitting .382/.474/.657 with 9 HRs, 32 walks, 14 Ks, and 8 steals in 9 attempts to go along with top-flight defense at 2B. That’s not including last night’s 3 for 4 performance.

Long gone are the days where one would need to embellish his on-field contributions with terms like “gritty”, “gamer”, or “blue collar”. He’s a legitimate superstar, the best second baseman in the game. And all the proof you need is right there in the numbers.

Perhaps the biggest hurdle for him in the MVP race is the fact that two teammates (the guy who hits in front of him, and the one who hits behind him) also have a strong case. Speaking of which…

Key Players:

• Hero of the Game: Jacoby Ellsbury (3 for 4 with a HR, a double, and a walk,  1 SB, 17.4% WPA)
• Goat of the Game: Bruce Chen (4 innings of excrement, -52.9% WPA)

Top 3 Plays:

1. David Ortiz‘ grand slam in the 4th (11.5% WPA)
2. Dustin Pedroia’s solo HR in the 1st following Ellsbury’s lead-off HR (9.1% WPA).
3. Ellsbury’s walk with the bases loaded in the 2nd (8.6% WPA).

Quote of the Day:

“It’s a compliment, It’s something you don’t think about right now when you’re playing. But when you’re done, you kind of sit down and say, ‘Well, I did OK.’ ”

- David Ortiz, on reaching 1,000 RBIs with the Sox

Note: the only other players with 1,000 RBIs with the Red Sox are Ted Williams, Jim Rice, Carl Yastrzemski, Bobby Doerr, and Dwight Evans.  Four Hall of Famers, and one guy who really should be.

Prospect Watch:

• AAA: First baseman Lars Anderson hit a HR off of a likely Hall of Famer on his rehab assignment, Roy Oswalt. Other than that, the Paw Sox really struggled against him.
  
• AA: Third baseman Will Middlebrooks went 2 for 4 with a HR. Per multiple Twitter sources last night, he’s one of the few guys that other teams have been asking about as we approach the trade deadline.

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By Jimmy, 7/27/2011 9:30 am

7/26/11: Red Sox 13, Royals 9

Box Score

What the hell was that “3 to 1 in 14 innings” nonsense from two nights ago? This is Fenway, not Petco Park god dammit! The final scores of Red Sox games ought to look like college football scores. Now, 13 to 9, that’s the American League I know and love.

Key Players:

• Hero of the Game: David Ortiz (4 for 5, 3 doubles, 1 walk, 5 RBI, 29.5% WPA)
• Goat of the Game: Nathan Adcock (0.1 inning, 3 hits, 3 walks, 4 runs, -47.3% WPA)

It’s not easy to cause a ~50% drop in win probability in only one third of an early inning, but Nate Adcock managed it.

Top 3 Plays:

1. Adcock misplayed a sacrifice bunt, allowing 2 runs to score.  (23.4% WPA) In the last two games, do you see what happens when American League teams bunt? All hell breaks loose.
2. Dustin Pedroia RBI double in the third (15.7% WPA).
3. Ortiz’ 2 RBI double in the third (11.3% WPA).

Quote of the Day:

“It just wasn’t a good night for us, pitching-wise. We couldn’t command the ball. It just kind of sums it all up when Mitch Maier had the best appearance of the night for us.”

- Royals manager Ned Yost, referring to the scoreless 8th inning pitched by outfielder Mitch Maier

Prospect Watch:

• AAA: Future MLB C/DH Ryan Lavarnway went 2 for 5 with 2 doubles.  
  
• Low A: SS Xander Bogaerts went 3 for 5 with a HR and a double.
• R: SS Jose Vicinio went 2 for 4 with 2 SBs (14 in 19 attempts on the year).

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By Jimmy, 7/26/2011 8:40 am

7/25/11: Royals 3, Red Sox 1 (14 innings)

Box Score

The story of this game was what occurred in the 12th inning, when the Red Sox had victory in their grasp. With Josh Reddick on third base and only 1 out, Marco Scutaro missed a squeeze bunt sign, allowing Reddick to be easily tagged out at home plate.  Two innings later, the game was lost in a battle of bullpen attrition.

Jon Lester was kept on a relatively short leash in his return from the disabled list, throwing only 89 pitches before departing in the 6th inning. Fortunately, his fastball velocity seemed to be right about where it was before his injury (~92.5 MPH). Unfortunately, the Red Sox offense did something that they haven’t been doing much at all this year: they sucked. Royals starter Kyle Davies came into the game with a 7.32 ERA, but was somehow able to stifle the smoking-hot Sox lineup.

Key Players:

• Hero of the Game: (tie)  Greg Holland (2 scoreless IP, 29.9% WPA), Louis Coleman (2 scoreless IP, 29.9% WPA)
• Goat of the Game: Marco Scutaro (epic brain fart, -47.3% WPA)

Note: Fangraphs.com actually nails Reddick with the WPA hit from that play, since it was technically a “caught stealing”, but I went ahead and made the proper adjustment.

Top 3 Plays:

1. The botched squeeze (29.4% WPA)
2. Carl Crawford K’s, runners on 1st and 3rd, 1 out in the 9th (18.5% WPA)
3. Yamaico Navarro popped out in foul ground, runners on 1st and 3rd, 1 out in the 13th (18.5% WPA)

There were obviously a bunch of missed chances here.  Scutaro’s mishap is the most visible failure, but a lot of guys came up small last night.

Quote of the Day:

“I fucked it up. After the pitch inside, I took a look and I was like `Oh.’”

- Marco Scutaro

Prospect Watch:

• AA: OF/DH Chih-Hsien Chiang went 2 for 4 with a HR, his 18th.
• Low A: Outfielder Brandon Jacobs went 2 for 3 with a walk and 2 SBs.  He now has 25 steals to go along with his .321/.399/.530 line.
• R: Center fielder Kendrick Perkins hit his first two professional home runs in yesterday’s game.

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By Jimmy, 7/25/2011 8:22 am

7/24/11: Red Sox 12, Mariners 8

Box Score

My apologies again for yet another prolonged absence. Yes, I realize that I’ve been making that same apology quite a bit lately. Without trying to sound too much like the aggressor in a domestic dispute: I promise it won’t happen again.

I’m going to change the WPA section a bit. Instead of listing the top 5 players in total WPA for each game, I’m going to list 1) the player with the highest WPA, 2) the player with the lowest WPA, and 3) the top three plays of the game.

Highlights:

Hero of the Game: Kevin Youkilis (1 for 3, HR, BB, 2 R)
Goat of the Game: Michael Pineda (4.1 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 7 ER)

Top 3 Plays:
1) Youk’s 2-run HR in the 1st inning (.165 WPA)
2) Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s RBI single in the 1st inning (.131 WPA)
3) Salty throwing out Ichiro in the 5th (.083 WPA)

Quote of the Day:

 ”Days like this, the way guys are playing — it’s definitely what we signed up for.”

- Carl Crawford

Prospect Watch:

AA: OF/DH Chih-Hsien Chiang continues to tear a hole through Eastern League pitching, going 2 for 3 with 2 walks, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored yesterday. He has a 1.357 OPS in his last 10 games, and 1.043 on the year.
SS A: In the bad news department, Garin Cecchini, a high-ceiling prospect who was having an impressive pro debut in Lowell, was hit by a pitch and suffered a broken wrist.  His 2011 season is most likely done.

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By Jimmy, 7/6/2011 8:55 am

7/6/11: Red Sox 3, Blue Jays 2

Box Score

The Red Sox managed a dramatic win last night, yet this game could be one of the most costly of the season. Jon Lester, the ace of the staff, left the game prematurely after throwing four no-hit innings against the Blue Jays. The diagnosis is a strained latissimus (“lat”), and he will be further evaluated today to determine the extent of the injury.

Early indications are that it shouldn’t be a long term issue, and with the All-Star Break looming next week, Lester would only miss two starts if he were to be placed on the DL. Still, that’s two Alfredo Aceves starts too many, as far as I’m concerned.

Top 5 Performances:

Of course, the key defensive play (not acknowledged by WPA) needs to be mentioned: Darnell McDonald gunning down the potential tying run to win the game, with Jason Varitek masterfully blocking the plate.

Quote of the Day

“We heard the phone ring right after the top of the fourth and kind of had a feeling that it probably wasn’t good.”

- Reliever Matt Albers, on the unexpectedly early bullpen call

Prospect Watch

Note: three minor league affiliates played double-headers yesterday (Pawtucket, Portland, and Lowell).

• AAA – Catcher Ryan Lavarnway went 3 for 4 with 2 doubles in the nightcap, and is having no trouble adjusting to AAA competition, hitting .338/.418/.613 after 21 games.
• AA – Will Middlebrooks went a combined 7 for 9 in both games, including a home run.  He’s hitting .320/.366/.509 for Portland this year.
• R – Here’s a new name to keep an eye on: 18-year-old pitcher Raul Alcantara threw 6 no-hit innings, and has only allowed 2 hits in 16 innings in the Gulf Coast League this year. Soxprospects.com notes that his fastball is in the low 90′s, and can get up to 95 MPH.

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By Jimmy, 6/27/2011 8:36 am

6/26/11: Red Sox 4, Pirates 2

Box Score

I’m not exactly sure how it feels to be waterboarded (although, they have been stepping up the security measures at MBTA stations, and I do have a tan, so it’s not out of the realm of possibilities).  However, I imagine the sensation is similar to watching the Red Sox lose a string of games to the Padres and Pirates.

That streak was mercifully put to a stop yesterday afternoon, but it wasn’t exactly a clean victory.  Were it not for a slew of errors and miscues on the part of the Pirates, the Red Sox likely would have been swept by the team that began the year in dead last place in my power rankings.

Top 5 Heroes:

It’s another odd day in terms of WPA, as there isn’t one starting position player in the Top 5.  The only hitter there is David Ortiz, who entered the game as a pinch hitter for Andrew Miller.  It was an ugly game, which is fitting, because the prior 4 games were also hideous.  There’s something about interleague play during the regular season.  It’s just…awkward.

Buzz Kill:

J.D. Drew was hurt again, after fouling a pitch off of his face in batting practice.  Darnell McDonald entered the game and proceeded to go 0 for 4, and he’s now hitting .109/.163/.174.  Carl Crawford can’t get healthy soon enough.

Quote of the Day:

“That’s OK, I hate him, too,”

- Jonathan Papelbon, busting the balls of a young reporter who informed him that Philadelphia fans hate Terry Francona

Prospect Watch:

• AAA – Jose Iglesias, whose name hasn’t appeared in this section as much as I would have expected this year, went 3 for 4 with a double.  Catcher Ryan Lavarnway (DH’ing in this game) went 2 for 4 and is now hitting .356/.420/.667 for Pawtucket.
• Low A – Outfielder Brandon Jacobs went 2 for 5 with a HR, and first baseman Miles Head went 2 for 5 with two doubles. They are hitting .319/.392/.532 and .338/.409/.612, respectively.

Other Notes:

• It was a bittersweet victory; if the Sox had lost, I was planning to create this awesome Photoshop where a ship full of pirates (real ones) were making Red Sox players walk the plank.  The Sox probably won’t play the Pirates for another 3 years at least, so this idea will sadly be archived away.
• Apparently, I’m not supposed to hit the space bar twice after each sentence?  Well, I can’t stop doing it now.  In a related note, do you know that my high school was once disaccredited?  I was initially shocked when I heard that, but in retrospect, they somehow managed to fuck up Typing 101.  Maybe the authorities knew what they were doing in this particular case.

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By Jimmy, 6/21/2011 8:40 am

6/20/11: Red Sox 14, Brewers 5

Box Score

It was a triumphant return to the Major Leagues for former top prospect Andrew Miller, as the left-hander pitched 5.2 solid innings in last night’s rout, striking out 6 and walking 3.  Miller, a guy whose career was previously derailed by control problems, threw 58 strikes in 89 pitches.  All of the damage done against him came on one swing: a 3-run homer from Orlando Hudson.

It’s apparent that Miller has the stuff of a major leaguer; his fastball sat at around 93 MPH and touched 96, while both his slider and his changeup yielding swinging strikes form the San Diego hitters.  Reportedly, he has corrected a mechanics flaw and as a result, has improved command of his pitches.  Only time will tell if this is true, but as of right now, the Miller acquisition is looking like a solid move.

Top 5 Heroes:

Buzz Kill:

While Darnell McDonald was a pleasant surprise during the injury-plagued 2010 season, he’s looked utterly lost thus far in 2011. After going 0 for 3 last night, he’s hitting .114/.184/.200 with 12 strikeouts in 38 plate appearances.  There’s no sense in letting him start while Carl Crawford is out.  Might as well stick Josh Reddick out there and let him get some playing time in. 

Quote of the Day:

“Is he from Rhode Island?”

- Someone I know, when I explained to her that the San Diego first baseman’s name is “Anthony Rizzo”.

Prospect Watch:

• R – In the Gulf Coast League opener, shortstop Jose Vinicio went 2 for 4 with a triple and 2 runs scored.

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By Jimmy, 6/20/2011 8:38 am

6/19/11: Red Sox 12, Brewers 3

Box Score

The Ageless Wonder once again turned in a stunning performance, allowing only 5 base runners over the course of 8 strong innings.  Unlike most Tim Wakefield starts of late, he was treated with plenty of run support against Milwaukee, as 8 of their 14 hits were for extra bases.

Top 5 Heroes:

Note the abnormally low WPAs (the entire team added up to around 50%).  You’ll see this when the game gets out of hand early, as it did yesterday afternoon.  Once the bottom of the first inning had ended as the score was 6-0, the probability of the Red Sox winning was over 90%.  Everything else that occurred in the game, such as Pedroia’s 6th inning HR, wouldn’t have much of an impact on win probability.

This is one of the strengths of WPA, as a metric.  It distinguishes the important plays from the ones that occur in garbage time.

Buzz Kill:

Clay Buchholz (back) and Carl Crawford (hamstring) are both on the disabled list, and both hope to return during the series in their home state, at Houston.  I talked about Buchholz, but the Crawford situation is just as troubling, if not more.  Speed is, of course, a big part of Crawford’s game.  If hamstring problems become chronic for him as he ages,   the Red Sox will be stuck with a very expensive, very mediocre outfielder.

Quote of the Day:

“It had good movement on it. Some of them went in to right-handers, some of them went in to left-handers. It did what good knuckleballs do. It was frustrating.”

- Milwaukee 1B Prince Fielder, on the knuckleball

By the way, if you’re wondering whether or not Wakefield ever faced Prince’s dad, Cecil Fielder…he did.  30 times.  Like father, like son; Cecil hit .111/.200/.148 against Wakefield.

Prospect Watch:

• SS A – The short-season Lowell Spinners started their 2011 campaign over the weekend, and there are a couple of interesting players up in the Cradle of the Industrial Revolution.  The one that stands out, however, is third baseman Garin Cecchini, who is regarded as one of the best hitting prospects in the system.  In his debut on Friday, he went 2 for 4 with a double and a SB.
• R – The Gulf Coast League Red Sox begin play today.  This is where you’ll see a few of the high school draftees and the prospects who graduated from the Dominican Summer League.  Two names jump of the page right now: shortstop Jose Vinicio and outfielder Kendrick Perkins.

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By Jimmy, 6/17/2011 8:36 am

Buchholz Wins, But Gets Hurt

Box Score

In isolation, last night’s result was beautiful; the Red Sox beat Tampa Bay ace David Price to finish their road trip with an 8-1 record.  However, Clay Buchholz was once again curtailed by lower-back pains, a chronic issue that has been hampering him since last season.

It’s certainly a red flag given how frail this rotation currently is, with the exception of Josh Beckett and Jon Lester.  With a ground ball rate of 51% (almost exactly what it was last season) and a K-rate that is slightly improved from last season, Buchholz has been displaying the stuff and command that put him in contention for the Cy Young Award in 2010.  It would hurt to have that type of run prevention replaced by the likes of Alfredo Aceves for any prolonged period of time.

Top 5 Heroes

Buzz Kill

Clay’s back is the obvious one, but he wasn’t the only one forced out of the game due to injuries.  Jed Lowrie, whose recent struggles have been documented here, was a late scratch due to the shoulder that’s been bothering him since May.  It was also kind of a bummer to see Carl Crawford go 1 for 10 in his return to The Trop.

Quote of the Day

“It was a good road trip. We started the road trip in second place and finished it in first place. Any time you can do that, that’s a good thing.”

- Adrian Gonzalez

Prospect Watch

• High A – Pitcher Junichi Tazawa threw 3 rehab innings, giving up 2 hits and striking out 2.  Also, Kolbrin Vitek, who has cooled down considerably since his torrid April, went 2 for 5 with a double.
• Low A – Shortstop Xander Bogaerts again had a good day for himself, going 2 for 4 with a double.  Also, 21-year-old lefty Manny Rivera pitched 6 scoreless innings, and now has 74 Ks in 69.2 innings.

Comments (3)

By Jimmy, 6/16/2011 9:23 am

The Gem That No One Witnessed

Box Score

It’s completely understandable and justifiable that the Red Sox game was pushed to the back burner last night, but it’s a shame that Josh Beckett’s outstanding performance went largely unnoticed.  He allowed only one baserunner, and that was on a weak dribbler down the third base line by Rays shortstop Reid Brignac.  The word “dominant” doesn’t begin to describe his mastery of the Tampa Bay lineup.

It took Beckett only 96 pitches to shut out the Rays.  Pete Abraham described his performance as one of the best games he’s ever seen pitched.

Top 5 Heroes

Notice the negative WPA from the bottom two guys on this list?  That’s a first for me; never before in a win have I seen any of the top five performers actually detracting from the game (at least, not since I’ve been doing this). It really underscores how crucial Beckett’s performance was.  The Red Sox offense wasn’t able to do much against Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson, aside from the clutch 3-run home run from Kevin Youkilis.

Buzz Kill

Jed Lowrie continues to plummet from the lofty heights he reached early in the season.  After another 0 for 3 performance, he’s down to .220/.287/.315 since May 1st.

Quote of the Day

“It’s a bloodbath”

- Dustin Pedroia, watching the Boston Bruins score their third goal during their Stanley Cup clinching victory

Prospect Watch

• Low A – It wasn’t really an eventful day in the minor leagues, but an interesting prospect did go 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored for the Greenville Drive.  Xander Bogaerts, a tall, lanky shortstop signed as an international free agent out of Aruba, is getting his first taste of American pro ball after he excelled in the Dominican Summer League last year.

Side Note:

Ever since I’ve been old enough to form coherent thoughts, I’ve been a compulsive Red Sox fan.  This fandom has spanned some good times, but also some very bad times.  Over this 25-year period, I’ve seen the fan base increase exponentially, and the increase includes lots of people who aren’t quite as knowledgeable about the game as I am (naturally, a new fan will not be quite as up-to-speed on the sport as an old one).

Although I’m sometimes annoyed by the difficulty in acquiring Red Sox tickets these days due to increased demand, I’ve always embraced new fans.  Personally, I could never understand the old-timers who were xenophobic towards people who just began to notice the experience that is Red Sox Baseball.  You have to look at the big picture.  The “Pink Hats” spend money, they increase ratings, they provide an incentive for ownership to spend that extra million or two on the team.  Why would that ever be a bad thing, from a fan’s perspective?

The reason I say that is this: I’m a Bruins Pink Hat.  During the playoffs, I would get to the bar extra early just to get a stool for the game, yet I couldn’t pronounce “Paille”.  Until a few weeks ago, I did not know the name of the guy who siang the National Anthem at the Garden.  The bottom line is: I don’t know shit about the Bruins, and I didn’t give a shit about the Bruins until maybe 14 months ago.  All I know is, I’ve enjoyed the hell out of watching them recently.

So, yes, I’ll probably show more interest to the team now that they’ve encountered success.  As a follower of the Golden Rule, I hope I won’t be looked at with too much disdain.

Congrats to those of you who have been a fan for years.  I went through a similar experience 7 years ago, and I’m happy that the ecstasy of that type of moment can be shared with others.

Comments (2)

By Jimmy, 6/15/2011 8:25 am

Surging Sox Stopped in Tampa

Box Score

In the words of Pat Summerall: “And we’re back!”.

Top 5 Goats

Silver Lining

Tim Wakefield again had a decent start, with a line that could only be described as “Wakefieldesque”: 7 innings, 5 walks, 2 Ks, 1 earned run.  The story of the night: the Sox ran into a very good pitcher; Jamie Shields is now 4th in the American League in ERA.

Quote of the Day

“You know, it was cool. There were a few cheers, a few boos, I guess it was mixed emotions out there.”

- Carl Crawford, on his first return to Tropicana Field

What kind of Rays fan would boo a guy who (arguably) is the best player in the history of their franchise? It’s at least reassuring to know that the idiot gene is not isolated to Boston.

Prospect Watch

• AAA – The big story on the farm is Andrew Miller, who struck out 10 hitters with only 1 walk in 5.1 innings.  Opposing batters are hitting only .181 against him this year, and he likely will be called up to join the rotation in Boston for his next start.  There are contractual reasons that factor into the decision.  More on that later.
• Low A – First baseman Miles Head went 4 for 5 with a double, and is now hitting .338/.407/.596.

Other Notes

• On Andrew Miller: he has a clause in his contract that allows him to become a free agent if he if not promoted today.  Obviously, with his stellar AAA numbers, there would be lots of teams interested in adding him to their major league roster if Boston were to let him go.  While nothing is decided yet, it looks like he’ll be in the Red Sox rotation next week.
• Given the above news, it appears that Tim Wakefield will find himself back in the bullpen for the time being (assuming Terry Francona actually follows through with this plan).

Comments (4)

By Jimmy, 5/24/2011 8:28 am

Bard Sings a Sad, Sad Song

Box Score

With both Tampa Bay and New York losing last night, the Sox were 2 innings away from claiming sole possession of first place.  In late May, a the benefit of a .5 game lead in the division would be purely symbolic.  After the hideous start to the season and this historically awful weather, it would have felt pretty good, that’s all.  They’ll have another crack at it tonight.

Daniel Bard‘s been a little inconsistent this year, and his lapse tonight was particularly untimely.

Top 5 Goats

One of the biggest reasons for the success of guys like Justin Masterson and Fausto Carmona (the pitcher facing the Sox tonight) is their ability to induce double plays with their sinker.  This particular tool really came in handy for the Tribe last night.

Silver Lining

Clay Buchholz pitched a masterful game tonight, and you really have to question the decision to pull him after only 94 pitches.  While Tito was concerned about overusing bard this weekend against the Cubs, the decision to use him after he pitched an inning in the previous game is a bit odd, in my view.  Of course, it wouldn’t be on any of our radar screens had Bard successfully held the lead.

Also, Carl Crawford hit very well against Masterson, as I thought he might.  If only he could face a side-winding righty in all of his plate appearances.

Quote of the Day

“Who would’ve thought that you could get a double play out of Carl Crawford?”

- Indians manager Manny Acta

Prospect Watch

• AAA – Starter Kyle Weiland went 7 innings for the victory, giving up only 1 run on 5 hits.  He now has 49 Ks in 47 innings, and his ERA is down to 3.45.  He’s not on the 40-man roster, but if Daisuke Matsuzaka requires surgery and goes on the 60-day DL, I imagine that this is the guy they’ll add.
• AA – Third baseman Will Middlebrooks went deep for the Sea Dogs, his sixth of the year.  He’s now hitting .295/.327/.500.

Other Notes

• Francona emphatically denies that Matsuzaka will require surgery on the torn ligament in his elbow.  Matsuzaka is headed back to Japan, and will seek a second opinion with Dr. Lewis Yocum when he returns.
• Dustin Pedroia is OK after experiencing a “stinger” on the basepaths last night.  He has a scheduled day off tonight.