Red Sox Report

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Scott Cordischi, GoLocalProv Sports Editor

With 90 games down and 72 to go, the Boston Red Sox aren’t what you would call in perfect position. Don’t get me wrong! Being in first place by a game over the Yankees in the American League East is a great place to be at the All-Star break, but it’s still anyone’s ballgame. And that includes the pesky Tampa Bay Rays.

Most believe, including yours truly, that it will come down to Boston and New York for the division title. And the good news is that, as of now, the runner-up seems to be poised to capture the A.L. Wild Card. Currently the Yankees hold a 5-game advantage over the Angels for that spot.

So what, then, are the keys to the second half of the season for Boston? It’s really just one thing – HEALTH!

After a shaky 2-10 start to the season, the Sox have proven to be one of baseball’s best if not the best in the game. Right now the only team that could challenge them for that title is Philadelphia because of their outstanding pitching. But for Boston to maintain that excellence, they will need to get healthy.

Their starting rotation resembles a M*A*S*H* unit at the moment with all 5 starters dealing with issues. Jon Lester is on the 15-day DL with a strained left lat muscle. Clay Buchholz is also on the D.L. with lower back issues. Josh Beckett could not pitch in the All-Star game due to knee soreness. John Lackey is coming off of his best start of the season before the break but there have been rumors that he is having elbow issues. And Diasuke Matsuzaka is out for the remainder of the season after having Tommy john surgery on his pitching elbow.

If this team is going to make a run at the postseason and another World Championship, at least 2 if not all 3 of their top 3 pitchers must return to health and pitch effectively in the final few months of the season.

The offense is just fine even with the various injuries they have had to deal with. Carl Crawford will play a 2-game rehab assignment here in Pawtucket this Friday and Saturday against the Durham Bulls. If all goes well, Crawford will rejoin his teammates in Boston as early as Sunday in Tampa.

Adrian Gonzalez has proven to be the real deal. David Ortiz is playing like he’s in a contract year. Jacoby Ellsbury has silenced all of his critics of a year ago when he failed to return in a timely fashion from a rib injury and even though Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis aren’t having their typical big seasons statistically, you can almost always count on the two of them when it matters the most with the game on the line.

Other Notes:

-Beckett, who hyper-extended his knee against Baltimore just before the break, said that he could have pitched in the All-Star game if he had to. He just preferred to take a cautious approach. “I could have pitched,” he said. “I’m just not comfortable going out there and getting hurt in an All-Star game and costing myself stars in the second half.”

-South Carolina Gamecocks outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. appears to be leaning toward returning to college for his senior season as opposed to signing with the Boston Red Sox. Bradley was selected 40th overall in the draft by Boston and was disappointed in his draft position. The 2010 Most Outstanding Player of the College World Series probably would have been in the top 15 of the draft were it not for a wrist injury in his junior season which affected his play and dropped his stock in the eyes of many Major League teams. He appears intent on proving his doubters wrong in college by trying to be a high draft pick in 2012.

-David Ortiz told the Boston Herald’s Michael Silverman that he will be looking for a 2-year contract with an option for a 3rd year when he becomes a free agent this offseason. Big Papi will be 36 years old by the time the 2012 season gets underway but is enjoying a fantastic season this year (.304, 19 HR, 55 RBI). It will be interesting to see how far the Red Sox are willing to go with Ortiz this offseason in that regard.

-With Major League Baseball’s trading deadline at the end of the month, will the Red Sox be in the market for anyone? Some believe a right-handed hitting outfielder will be Theo Epstein’s target. Names being bounced around the rumor mill include the Mets’ switch-hitting Carlos Beltran and right-handed slugger Jason Bay. Houston’s Hunter Pence is another name being thrown around.