Fire up the hot stove for another winter
RED SOX general manager Theo Epstein has no worries about the right side of the field. He knows who his right fielder will be next season. He knows who his second baseman will be next season. He knows, barring a dramatic trade for San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez, who his first baseman will be next season.
He even knows who his catcher and backup catcher will be now that he’s picked up his option on Victor Martinez and Jason Varitek has exercised his own option to return.
But the entire left side of the field remains in flux. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez is gone, at least temporarily, and no one knows how far apart the Red Sox are from left fielder Jason Bay in their negotiations. On top of that, Mike Lowell isn’t getting any younger and might be the poster child for the dramatic home-road splits that Epstein blamed for his team’s early exit in the playoffs.
It’s been a busy start to the offseason for the Red Sox, and the fun has barely begun.
Click here to read the full article – By BRIAN MACPHERSON of theunionleader.com
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Sox call out ump
C.B. Bucknor name mud again
When an umpire becomes a focal point in a postseason game, it’s usually not a good sign. So it was with first base umpire C.B. Bucknor in Game 1 of the ALDS between the Red Sox [team stats] and Angels last night.
Though they didn’t directly impact the Angels’ 5-0 shutout, Bucknor appeared to have gotten two calls wrong. Third baseman Mike Lowell and shortstop Alex Gonzalez were charged with throwing errors on the plays, but replays indicated it was Bucknor who made the miscues.
In the fourth inning, Howie Kendrick hit a grounder that Gonzalez gloved, sprawling to the ground. Gonzalez got to his feet quickly but threw wildly to first base, pulling Kevin Youkilis [stats] to the home-plate side of the bag. Youkilis caught the throw and clearly applied the tag to Kendrick a step before the Angel came down on the bag, but Bucknor ruled him safe.
Sox manager Terry Francona came racing out of the dugout to protest the call, to no avail.
“He said I tagged him,” recounted Youkilis, “but he said (Kendrick) was on the base when I tagged him. I didn’t think that was possible. I guess guys saw the replay, but other than that, I don’t know.”
Two innings later, with Kendrick again the batter, Lowell fielded a sharp grounder and threw to first. Youkilis came off the bag to catch the throw and appeared to have gotten his foot on the bag a split-second before Kendrick reached the base. Once again, Bucknor ruled the runner safe and once again, the Red Sox howled in protest.
Click here to read the full article – By Sean McAdam of BostonHerald.com
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How they match up
Prediction: Red Sox in five games
The Angels had baseball’s most prolific offense for most of the summer, shooting to the top of the major leagues in runs, hits and average with runners in scoring position, but they cooled considerably in September, batting .263 and averaging 4.3 runs a game. To their usually aggressive baserunning, the Angels have added more patience and power; they rank seventh in the league in walks and third in on-base percentage, categories they have lagged in for years. The Red Sox have a nice balance of power throughout their lineup with the left-handed David Ortiz and J.D. Drew, the switch-hitting Victor Martinez, and the right-handed Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay, but they can also wreak havoc on the bases with Jacoby Ellsbury, who led the league with 70 stolen bases in 83 attempts, an 84% success rate. Boston is even more patient than the Angels, ranking second in the league in walks and on-base percentage.
Click here to read the full article – By Mike DiGiovanna of LAtimes.com
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Lester, Beckett provide new 1-2 punch
Throughout much of the season – with the exception of the seven-out start in which he got nailed by a line drive against the Yankees – Jon Lester has been the ace of the Red Sox staff. More than that, Lester has been one of the best pitchers in baseball, author of a brilliant stretch beginning at the end of May that solidified a standing made clear by a dominant 2008.
That position was made official yesterday as the Red Sox announced their postseason rotation for the first three games of the American League Division Series against the Angels.
Lester will start Game 1, ahead of Josh Beckett, in a move that has much to do with his ability to bounce back if needed, but also much to do with the way he is pitching. Clay Buchholz will start Game 3 at Fenway Park.
In a span of 22 starts since May 31, he has a 2.31 ERA with 163 strikeouts in 114 innings, while opponents have .213 against him.
“What it really came down to is the fact that when you look at how our rotation was set up – and Beckett knows we feel this way – because for us to get where we want to go we’re going to have to lean on both of them,’’ manager Terry Francona said after the Sox’ 12-7 win over the Indians in the regular-season finale. “To flip-flop them around would have one guy on normal rest, another guy on [seven days’ rest]. That doesn’t make sense to any of us, including Beckett and Lester.
“As we go forward . . . we think Lester is situated where he can come back on short rest and that would have, say, Beckett if there’s a Game 5 on regular rest. There’s a lot of options that are open to us that we’re interested in exploring.’’
So even though Beckett’s performances and numbers verge on incredible in the postseason (7-2, 2.90 ERA in 87 innings), he will not pick up the ball until Game 2 Friday. Although Beckett has had an up-and-down season, he has a 3.67 ERA since June 10, and has allowed a .243 batting average against.
Click here to read the full article – By Amalie Benjamin of Boston.com
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This time, Sox’ party a private affair
One by dripping one, the playoff-bound Red Sox emerged from their clubhouse early this morning.
Standing in slippers, wearing “2009 AL Wild Card Champions’’ hats, grinning like rock stars, reeking of cigar smoke and dripping a trail of beer and bubbly onto the concrete concourse outside their sanctum, Mike Lowell, Dustin Pedroia, Jason Bay and Tim Wakefield shared their thoughts on going back to the playoffs.
“We play from the first day of the season, this is our goal,’’ said Lowell. “We’d rather do it on the field in front of the fans but we don’t care how it comes. Hopefully this is just step one.’’
Click here to read the full article – By Michael Silverman of Boston Herald
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Green’s health brings back Woodward
Twice this season, Chris Woodward thought his time with the Red Sox had ended. On Aug. 15, the same day Boston reacquired Alex Gonzalez, Woodward was designated for assignment. And just last week, with the club needing a roster spot for Daisuke Matsuzaka, Woodward was outrighted to Triple-A Pawtucket. This, even though the Minor League season was over.
But there Woodward was again on Monday, embarking on his third roster stint with the Red Sox. The reason Woodward was needed is that utility infielder Nick Green’s health is very much in question.
Green last played for the Red Sox on Wednesday, the night he worked a dramatic game-tying walk in the bottom of the ninth inning of a comeback win over the Angels. As it turns out, Green could barely stand during that at-bat, as his right leg had a “dead leg” type of feeling.
Click here to read the full article – By Ian Browne of MLB.com
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Sox focused on journey, not destination
If any team appreciates the beauty of the Wild Card, it’s the Red Sox.
History shows that Boston took full advantage of the American League’s fourth and final playoff spot back in 2004, when it captured its first World Series title in 86 years. The Red Sox have used the Wild Card entry to reach the postseason a Major League-high six times since 1998, and are in line to do so once again this year.
After taking the first two bouts of their three-game set against the Angels, the Sox enter Thursday’s series finale at Fenway Park 6 1/2 games ahead of the fading Rangers in the AL Wild Card standings. But make no mistake, they aren’t ready to don their Wild Card championship hats and T-shirts just yet.
Click here to read the full article – By John Barone of MLB.com
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Dice-K’s back, but which version?
When Daisuke Matsuzaka steps on the mound at Fenway Park on Tuesday night to kick off a three-game series against a probable postseason opponent — the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — he will formally end an 87-day sabbatical from the Boston Red Sox’s pitching rotation.
So, yes, “Welcome back, Dice-K” will indeed be the theme for the opener of a particularly enticing late-season series. But just who are the Red Sox and their fans welcoming back?
Is this the return of the pitcher who was so great during his years in Japan that the Red Sox blew away the competition with a blind bid of $51.1 million and invested an overall sum of $103.1 million in the righty?
Click here to read the full article – By Ian Browne of MLB.com
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Sox gear up for possible playoff preview
For the third consecutive year, the Red Sox appear poised to reach the postseason. And for the third consecutive year, they appear to be on a collision course with the Angels.
The teams have met in the American League Division Series each of the past two seasons, with Boston prevailing both times, and would be a playoff pair once again this October had the regular season ended Sunday.
Until then, they’ll have to settle for a mid-September showdown at Fenway Park that kicks off on Tuesday night, when Daisuke Matsuzaka makes his long-awaited return from the disabled list opposite John Lackey.
Click here to read the full article – By John Barone of MLB.com
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Youkilis nominated for Clemente Award
Even as he has emerged as one of the best all-around players in baseball over the last couple of seasons, Kevin Youkilis has been equally consumed with an art that has nothing to do with coming up with a clutch hit or making a diving stop in the field.
The man known throughout New England simply as “Youuuuuuuuuuukkkkkkk” spends much of what could be his down time making a difference for kids in need.
His acts of kindness have not gone unnoticed, as, for the second successive year, the Red Sox have nominated Youkilis as their candidate for the Roberto Clemente Award.
Click here to read the full article – By Ian Browne of MLB.com
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