Red Sox Report: Ellsbury Does It Again! / Pedroia AL Player of the Month
Thursday, August 04, 2011
Have yourself a season young man! Jacoby Ellsbury's sensational 2011 campaign continues to get better! The Red Sox CF hit a walk-off HR in the bottom of the 9th Wednesday to lift Boston to a 4-3 win over Cleveland at Fenway. It was his second game-winning walk-off hit in as many games. He hit an RBI single in the bottom of the 9th Tuesday to beat the Tribe 3-2. Ellsbury is hitting .317 with 18 HR and 65 RBI. He also has 31 stolen bases.
-Will Clay Buchholz be ready to pitch again before the end of the season? Maybe. Maybe not. But Boston skipper Terry Francona threw a new twist into the mix regarding Buchholz’s possible return when he suggested that the right-hander may pitch out of the bullpen if he is ready to come back sometime in late September or October.
That type of thinking is sound if his back does heal to the point where he is able to return to the mound with pain or discomfort. With little time to stretch out his arm so that he can shoulder the load of a 90-100 pitch outing, pitching an inning or two out of the bullpen wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
If that turns out to be the case, Buchholz could possibly fill a big hole for the Red Sox by serving as the bridge from a starter like John Lackey or Erik Bedard to Daniel Bard and eventually Jonathan Papelbon.
At this point it may be wishful thinking. But it would be a nice option for Francona to have come playoff time.
-Even though the Red Sox are still playing solid baseball, one of their sluggers is quietly slumping. David Ortiz was 2 for his last 27 heading into Wednesday’s game dropping his season average from .306 to .288. While Ortiz went 1-3 Wednesday against the Tribe, he failed to drive in or even advance pinch-runner Mike Aviles who was on second base with nobody out. Carl Crawford and Jarrod Saltalamacchia both struck out to end the Boston threat in the 8th.
-Wednesday night it was Tim Wakefield’s turn to audition for a spot in the playoff rotation. Granted, there will be many more starts for him, John Lackey and newcomer Erik Bedard. Still, you have to believe that everyone is important. With that said, Wakefield turned in a quality start by going 6 2/3 innings while allowing 5 hits and 3 runs. He walked 2 and struck out 6. Still, if recent history is any indication, Boston will be reluctant to hand the ball to Wakefield in the postseason. The feeling here is that he is currently third in this 3-horse race. On a side note, he was once again denied his 200th career victory getting a no-decision on the night.
-SS Jed Lowrie was in the clubhouse Wednesday night having made two rehab starts with the Pawtucket Red Sox on Monday and Tuesday. Lowrie went 1-5 at the plate in those 2 games and will have a third rehab start with Pawtucket on Thursday against the Buffalo Bisons. The Pawsox had Wednesday off.
-Dustin Pedroia was named the American League’s Player of the Month for July after batting .411 (46-112). He also hit 9 doubles, a triple, 8 HR’s and drove in 22 for the month. It’s the second straight month that a Red Sox player has won the award. Adrian Gonzalez was the AL Player of the Month in June.
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