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Jason Varitek still quite a catch for Red Sox

DTmustande — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:49:38 +0000

The Boston Red Sox were already flailing when they got to Cleveland on April 6, the day Jason Varitek got his first start of the season.

Faced with a bases-loaded situation in the sixth inning, Varitek watched Kevin Youkilis field a ground ball, step on third base and fire home. Only problem was that Varitek failed to tag the oncoming runner for an easy double play that would have ended the inning. The next batter, Asdrubal Cabrera, hit a three-run home run. The Sox lost, 8-4, falling to 0-5.

Having delayed a decision on Varitek while they looked for another option to complement Jarrod Saltalamacchia, the Red Sox might have been second-guessing their decision to re-sign the catcher, who started only one of the first eight games.

Not any more. Varitek, 39, has emerged as the competent veteran he’s mostly always been, save for several injuries and the natural ravages of age. But you’d never know it these days. His showing on Saturday – two-run home run and two hits in Game 1 of a doubleheader sweep of the Oakland A’s – was another in a continuing series of personal triumphs. It hasn’t always been easy, but he’s been there through 58 games as Saltalamacchia’s backup.

“There’s different spikes at different times,” he said of his condition as the season approaches its final month. “The thing is, in our position, we have to go out (and) if something happens we have to be ready in the games. You’re constantly grinding and warming people up and doing things, and at different times. I have to learn sometimes to back off, just because I’m not 22 anymore.”

You’d never know it, though. As many big moments as Saltalamacchia has provided in his 84 games, Varitek has been right there. On April 16, for instance, he hit his first sacrifice bunt in five years. On May 24, at Cleveland, he hit a two-run home run in a 4-2 victory while catching two runners attempting to steal. On June 30, at Philadelphia, he hit two home runs in a 5-2 decision. On July 5, he blocked the plate to keep Toronto’s Edwin Encarnacion from scoring the tying run on the final play of the game. On Aug. 2, he had the first of three straight Sox hits in the ninth in a walk-off win over Cleveland. On the 21st he hit his first triple in more than four years.

Needless to say, Sox manager Terry Francona, who claims he never thought Varitek wouldn’t be back with the Sox this season, is tickled pink.

“I think he’s still got a lot left,” he said of the catcher, who’s batting .234 with nine home runs and 29 RBI.

“I think he’s proving that. What he does behind the plate, we’ve been saying for years. It’s nice when he chips in with some home runs like he’s been.”

Part of Varitek’s success this season has been due to good health. Both he and Saltalamacchia have been relatively unfettered by serious physical challenges, and Varitek has also settled into his backup role, catching one game for every two by Saltalamacchia.

“I think the playing time he’s getting is probably just about perfect,” Francona said. “He’s kept himself in such great shape, but he’s caught a lot of games. We don’t want to run him out there every day. It’s not fair to him, but the way he’s been catching has been really, really good. The production out of our catching has been tremendous.”

What had been something of a mockery in the past couple of years, with teams running rampant on the Sox’ catchers (and pitchers), has slowed. Varitek has caught 11 stealers, or 17 percent, but Saltalamacchia is up to 31 percent, having caught 29 more. It’s become a strong tandem.

“With scouting the way it is now, we’re seeing teams slow down a little bit,” Francona said. “Guys that are going to steal are going to steal. It’s just the guys that don’t run, you don’t want them trying to run all the time. That was what was happening to us last year, especially early.”

Varitek and Saltalamacchia also have been strong offensively, batting a combined .245 and falling either second or third among AL catching duos in home runs (22), RBI (75) and runs (70).

Through it all, Varitek has had one goal: winning.

“I have team goals,” he said. “I always have. What happens from there … I try not to spend too much time worrying about that stuff, just try to have competitive at-bats.

“It’s a day-to-day grind of just doing what you have to do that day to win. And then the further you get along in the season, you’re preparing or you’re communicating, you’re making adjustments with your pitchers of where you are or where you need to go. I think the basic goals are to win today and to prepare to win tomorrow and to get through and to learn and to see what goes on every day with the pitching staff, whether you’re playing or not. I mean, as you see what happened last year with Vic (Victor Martinez), who got hit in the toe and then, boom, I have to go in at the end of a game. I think that’s where you have to pay attention.”

Needless to say, he has.

Reach Mike Fine at mikefine@ledger.com.

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Ellsbury Delivers Again For Red Sox Vs. Indians

Bosxomdzhi — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:02:01 +0000

One night after his ninth-inning single drove in the game-winning run, the Red Sox center fielder homered with two outs in the ninth on Wednesday to give the Boston Red Sox a 4-3 win over the Cleveland Indians.

BOSTON –

Jacoby Ellsbury never had a game-winning hit before this week.

Now he has two in as many games.

“The guy’s got us two nights in a row,” said Indians reliever Joe Smith (2-2), who retired the first two batters in the ninth before Ellsbury hit an 0-1 pitch over the wall in straightaway center.

Asked if the pitch was where he wanted it, Smith said: “Four hundred and fifteen away to the middle of center? No.”

Jonathan Papelbon (4-0) pitched a perfect ninth for Boston, which won for the 10th time in 13 games. Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez each had two hits, and Tim Wakefield took a three-hitter into the seventh but could not collect career victory No. 200.

Jason Kipnis homered for the fourth straight day for Cleveland, which lost for the 10th time in 13 games to fall to .500 for the first time since the fourth game of the year. Starter Carlos Carrasco allowed three runs – two earned – and nine hits and three walks while striking out five before leaving with the game tied 3-all in the eighth inning.

Tony Sipp struck out two in a perfect eighth, and then Smith retired pinch-hitter Darnell McDonald and No. 9 hitter Marco Scutaro before Ellsbury, who was 0 for 4 so far in the game, came to the plate. Ellsbury, who hit a one-out single to win it on Tuesday, drove it over the high wall in center.

“I realized it was the ninth inning and I had been 0 for 4 both games. I’m just trying to get on base,” he said. “The last two days have been pretty good.”

Wakefield took a 3-2 lead into the seventh inning with a chance for his 200th win, but he gave up doubles to Lonnie Chisenhall and Ezequiel Carrera to tie it. Red Sox manager Terry Francona headed to the mound, leading Wakefield to pound his fist in frustration and drawing boos from the crowd.

The fans cheered Wakefield as he left the field, but he did not react. He allowed three runs and five hits and two walks in all, striking out six in 6 2-3 innings.

“It’s hard,” Francona said. “I knew what it meant to the fans wanting to see it – and so do I – and to him personally. But you do what you have to do to try and win the game.”

The right-handed knuckleballer, who turned 45 on Tuesday and is the oldest active player in the majors, will have another chance at becoming the 108th pitcher with 200 wins – the 89th since 1900 – is expected to come on Monday or Tuesday night.

Carrasco, who had lost five straight starts, was suspended six games and fined $2,500 for throwing at the head of Kansas City’s Billy Butler on Friday night. He said he would drop his appeal and begin the suspension after Wednesday night’s game.

Notes: The teams are back for game four of the series on Thursday night, when newly acquired starter Erik Bedard will face former Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson. Masterson is 3-3 with a 1.76 ERA in his past 11 games (10 starts). He was part of the deal that brought Victor Martinez to Boston at the 2009 trading deadline. In three career starts against his former team, he is 2-0 with a 1.25 ERA. … Bedard only went 1 1-3 innings and gave up five runs in his previous start, for Seattle against Tampa Bay – his first start since coming off the DL (sprained left knee). … To make room for Jimenez on the roster, the Indians optioned LHP David Huff to Triple-A Columbus. … Indians OF Michael Brantley was given the night off to rest his sore right wrist. … Kipnis is the first Indians rookie to homer in four straight games since Al Rosen in 1950, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. … Pedroia was the AL player of the month for July, with 46 hits in the month. … Boston SS Marco Scutaro was back in the lineup after sitting out Tuesday’s game with dizziness. … The Red Sox batter with game-ending hits on consecutive days of the regular season was Butch Hobson in 1978, though David Ortiz did it in the 2004 playoffs against the New York Yankees.

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Cleveland Indians fall to Boston Red Sox

dressterz — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:28:52 +0000

BOSTON — By the time he gets to pitch for the Indians, Ubaldo Jimenez might not be enough help.

On the day their prize deadline acquisition joined the team, the Indians had another last at-bat loss to the Red Sox.

Jacoby Ellsbury got the winning hit for the second consecutive night, homering with two outs in the ninth inning Wednesday to send Cleveland to its 10th loss in 13 games, 4-3, to Boston.

Two swings and they’ve lost two games, dropping another two games in the standings.

“I don’t know if it’s slipping away,” said reliever Joe Smith, who allowed Ellsbury’s homer. “The last two days we’re playing a great team in Boston.”

Cleveland fell to four games behind the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers, who beat Texas, 5-4, on Wednesday. Jimenez is scheduled to start Friday against the Rangers, six days after he was traded. On Saturday, he pitched one inning before the Rockies pulled him.

Smith (2-2) got the first two batters on groundouts before Ellsbury hit an 0-1 pitch over the wall in center field. Ellsbury singled to center with one out to end Tuesday’s game.

“Smitty has lefties hitting .090 against him,” manager Manny Acta said. “(Ellsbury) got two of the best guys out in our pen. You tip your cap to him.”

Asked about the growing deficit in the standings, Acta said: “Not with two months left. I’ll say we’re out when we’re four games behind with three to play.”

Before Jimenez can start Friday in Texas, the Indians wrap up their four-game series with Boston today.

“We’ve done it to a few teams so far this year,” Acta said. “I’ve seen them bounce back.”

Cleveland fell to .500 (54-54) for the first time since opening the season 2-2.

Jonathan Papelbon (4-0) pitched a perfect ninth.

Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez each had two hits for Boston, which won for the 10th time in 13 games.

Jason Kipnis homered for the fourth consecutive game for Cleveland, and starter Carlos Carrasco allowed three runs, two earned, on nine hits and three walks while striking out five before leaving with the game tied at 3 in the eighth inning.

Boston starter Tim Wakefield took a 3-2 lead into the seventh inning with a chance for his 200th career win, but he allowed doubles to Lonnie Chisenhall and Ezequiel Carrera to tie it. Red Sox manager Terry Francona headed to the mound, leading Wakefield to pound his fist in frustration and drawing boos from the crowd.

The fans cheered Wakefield as he left the field, but he did not react. He allowed three runs on five hits and two walks, striking out six in 6 2/3 innings.

The right-handed knuckleballer, who turned 45 on Tuesday and is the oldest active player in the majors, will have another chance at becoming the 108th pitcher with 200 wins Monday or Tuesday.

Carrasco, who had lost five consecutive starts, was suspended six games and fined $2,500 for throwing at the head of Kansas City’s Billy Butler on Friday night. He said he would drop his appeal and begin the suspension after Wednesday’s game.

Notes: Newly acquired Boston starter Erik Bedard will face former Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson in today’s game. Masterson is 3-3 with a 1.76 ERA in his past 11 games (10 starts). He was part of the deal that brought Victor Martinez to Boston at the 2009 trading deadline. In three career starts against his former team, he is 2-0 with a 1.25 ERA. … Bedard only went 1 1/3 innings and allowed five runs in his previous start, for Seattle against Tampa Bay — his first start since coming off the disabled list (sprained left knee). … To make room for Jimenez on the roster, the Indians optioned left-hander David Huff to Triple-A Columbus. … Indians outfielder Michael Brantley was given the night off to rest his sore right wrist. … Kipnis is the first Indians rookie to homer in four consecutive games since Al Rosen in 1950, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

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Red Sox draft UConn right-hander Barnes

smapaliniance — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:40:23 +0000

BOSTON (AP) – The Boston Red Sox selected University of Connecticut right-handed pitcher Matt Barnes with the 19th pick in the first round of the major league baseball draft Monday night.

Barnes, a native of Bethel, Conn., who turns 21 on June 17, was taken with the pick the Red Sox received as compensation from the Detroit Tigers for signing catcher Victor Martinez as a free agent.

Barnes posted a record of 11-4 with a 1.62 ERA in 16 starts. He has 241 career strikeouts, just two behind UConn all-time leader Ed Baird, who set the record in 1966-68.

With their second pick, at No. 26 overall, the Red Sox selected switch-hitting high school catcher Blake Swihart, from New Mexico. He has committed to the University of Texas.

The Red Sox received the pick from the Texas Rangers for signing free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre.

Boston also picked Henry Owens, a left-handed pitcher from Edison High School in California, with the 36th overall pick and outfielder Jackie Bradley from the University of South Carolina with the 40th pick.

A wrist injury that required surgery slowed Bradley at the plate this season, when he hit .259 in 37 games.

“We’re real happy with how today went,” Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said.

“And you circle back in five or 10 years and see how you did, but certainly we feel like some things broke out way and we were able to get four players we feel really good about, two high school, two college, two pitchers, two hitters. The hitters are up-the-middle guys with strong defensive tools and bats that we really like. Both pitchers we feel project as starters in the big leagues. So we’re real happy with how it went.”

Gotta run!.

Red Sox Vs. Indians: Cleveland Scores Two Late Runs For 3-2 Win

DeRererejug — Tue, 24 May 2011 17:54:44 +0000

By Rob Neyer

– National Baseball Editor

The amazing Cleveland Indians fell behind the Boston Red Sox Monday night, but rallied with two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and beat the Red Sox 3-2.

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May 24, 2011 – In 2005, the Boston Red Sox used the 42nd pick in the amateur draft to select Clay Buchholz.

In 2006, the Red Sox used the 71st pick in the amateur draft to select Justin Masterson.

Three years later, the Red Sox coveted the talents of Victor Martinez, then employed by the Cleveland Indians. By then, Buchholz had joined the big club’s rotation and management wasn’t giving him up. Masterson was also pitching for the Red Sox, but he’d been consigned to relief duties.

The Indians almost certainly asked Theo Epstein about Buchholz, but settled for Masterson (and two Red Sox minor leaguers) and the deal for Martinez was done.

Since then? After joining the Indians, Masterson returned to starting and went 1-7 with a 4.55 ERA the rest of the way. Things didn’t get much better last season: 6-13, 4.70 ERA. Masterson probably deserved better, though, as his sinker was working and his peripheral stats were actually pretty good. He pitched particularly well down the stretch; in his last 11 games — including five relief outings, presumably to limit his innings — Masterson posted a 2.51 ERA and gave up just one home run in 46 innings.

Small sample size? This season he’s got a 2.57 ERA, and has given up just one home run in 67 innings.

That’s impressive. The ERAs, yes, but especially the two homers in 113 innings. Masterson’s not a strikeout pitcher, so to be successful he has to limit his walks while keeping the ball a) on the ground, and b) in the ballpark. Which he’s been doing, obviously. But two home runs in 113 innings is impossible to sustain, which is why you can probably bet on Masterson’s ERA winding up somewhere north of 3 this season.

Meanwhile, Buchholz is no longer the strikeout machine he was in the minors, and during his early action with the Red Sox. But he did go 17-7 last season with a 2.33 ERA. And while Masterson’s certainly been the better pitcher this season — Buchholz entered Monday’s start having given up seven home runs in 53 innings — the Red Sox are probably happy to have him. Just as the Indians are happy to have Masterson.

In the end, neither happy-monger figured in the decision.

Boston struck first, on Dustin Pedroia’s two-out single in the third inning that plated Carl Crawford; it was the slumping Pedroia’s first RBI since the 2nd of May. Asdrubal Cabrera evened the score with a leadoff homer — his 10th of the season — in the bottom of the fifth.

For quite a while, it looked like the difference in the game would be a hanging change-up and a great swing; the change-up was Masterson’s and the swing was Carl Crawford’s, which gave the Red Sox a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning.

Masterson and Buchholz kept the score at 2-1 into the bottom of the eighth.

Masterson departed after 7-2/3 innings and 112 pitches.

Buchholz went 7-1/3 before giving way to Daniel Bard, with a runner on second base.

That runner — pinch-runner Adam Everett — was there as a result of Jack Hannahan’s leadoff single, which might well have been an out if second baseman Dustin Pedroia hadn’t earlier hurt his ankle while running the bases, and been replaced by Drew Sutton.

In the event, Bard retired pinch-hitter Carlos Santana before Michael Brantley ripped a two-strike, two out single into right field, with Everett scoring the tying run just ahead of J.D. Drew’s throw home. Worse for the Red Sox, the red-hot Asdrubal Cabrera was due next. With Brantley on second base, Terry Francona eschewed the intentional walk, and Cabrera sliced a double off the left-field wall to put the Indians ahead.

In the top of the ninth, Chris Perez got into serious trouble with one out, allowing a walk and a single, but induced a sharp grounder from Carl Crawford, right at second baseman Orlando Cabrera, who started the game-ending double play. Perez earned his 13th save in 14 chances, and the Cleveland Indians ran their record to 30-15, best in the majors.

For more about the Indians and Red Sox, please visit Let’s Go Tribe and Over the Monster.

Read More: Victor Martinez (DH – DET), Carl Crawford (LF – BOS), Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox

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Rob Neyer

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Rob Neyer began his career with legendary baseball author Bill James, and later worked for STATS, Inc. and ESPN.com, writing more words for that website than anyone else. Rob has written or… Read full bio

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Red Sox Set For Rematch Against MLB-Best Indians

uidqwjxzcyiwq — Mon, 23 May 2011 21:35:36 +0000

MAY 22: Kevin Youkilis and Adrian Gonzalez celebrate the Red Sox 5-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on May 22, 2011 at Fenway Park. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

BOSTON (CBS) – The Boston Red Sox look to avenge an early season sweep at the hands of the Indians when they open up a seven-game road trip with three in Cleveland Monday night.

The Indians (29-15) have the best record in baseball and sport an 18-4 record at Progressive Field. They swept the Red Sox in the second series of the season, dropping Boston to 0-6 on the season at the time.

Now the Red Sox come in having won eight of their last nine and find themselves just half-a-game out of first place in the American League East.

“We’re a different club since the start of the season,” second baseman Dustin Pedroia said after Boston’s 5-1 win over the Chicago Cubs Sunday night. “We’ve been playing better, we just have to continue to do so.”

Sports Blog: Red Sox Know How Good They Are

Pedroia is batting just .205 since April 10th, but other Red Sox have stepped up as of late. Adrian Gonzalez is 10 for his last 15, and hitting .481 over the last week. He leads the team in batting average (.341) home runs (9), and RBI (41, tops in the Majors).

“He’s just such a professional hitter,” manager Terry Francona said of his first baseman. “Hits the ball to left field, fights off pitches, gets something he can handle and he hits it off the wall. He’s a really good hitter and he’s in a really good period. I hope it lasts for awhile too.”

“I’m feeling good,” said Gonzalez after his four-for-four Sunday night. “Being able to swing at the pitches I want to swing at, I don’t chase too many pitches out of the zone. I just try to execute my game plan.”

Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchi has been making the most of his plate appearances as well, going seven for his last 18, including three home runs, out of the nine spot in the order.

“He looks more confident and he should be,” Francona said of his young catcher. “He’s playing better.”

“It’s nice to go up to the plate wanting to hit the ball hard, getting a good pitch and being able to do it,” said Saltalmacchia.

The Red Sox will have their top three pitchers going in this series with Clay Buchholz, Josh Beckett and Jon Lester each getting a shot at the Indians. Buchholz starts the series, going against former Red Sox prospect Justin Masterson, who was traded to Cleveland in the Victor Martinez deal in 2009.

Pitching Matchups For Boston’s Three Game Set In Cleveland

Monday 7:05 pm

Clay Buchholz (4-3, 3.42 ERA) vs Justin Masterson (5-2, 2.52 ERA)

Tuesday 7:05 pm

Josh Beckett (3-1, 1.73 ERA) vs Fausto Carmona (3-4, 4.76 ERA)

Wednesday 12:05 pm

Jon Lester (6-1, 3.68 ERA) vs TBA

Not much else going on in the MLB planet today.

Boston Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s goals: Stay healthy, be ready

JuanaMcfarland24 — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 22:28:52 +0000

Published: Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 4:24 PM Â Â Â Updated: Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 6:24 PM

Jon Lester says he thinks spring training lasts two weeks too long. Other players say they’ll get their work in, but they are ready to go.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia looks at it a little differently.

“Spring training is just flying by. I’m just going day to day,” the Boston Red Sox catcher siad.

He is getting ready for the season, getting acquainted with his pitchers, and getting comfortable as he takes on the biggest opportunity in his life.

“I’m not looking forward or behind. I think that’s what happened before, that I pushed myself too much” the man called “Salty” said Tuesday.

“I want to stay healthy and be ready for the season,” he said.

To Red Sox fans, Saltalamacchia is the mystery meat of this lineup. Injuries have held back one of baseball’s prized prospects of the mid-2000s, which makes it easy to think Salty is older has been around longer than he has been.

At 25, he is entering the point where most catchers establish themselves. Red Sox backup catcher Jason Varitek, for instance, didn’t become a proven major leaguer until his mid-20s.

Saltalamacchia, who turns 26 on May 2, did not play Tuesday night against Tampa Bay. He caught Jon Lester Monday in Clearwater against the Phillies.

“Jon pitched a great game. He got a little tired in the sixth (when the Phillies scored three runs in a 4-1 win), and gave up a couple of broken-bat singles, but he’ll be fine.”

Saltalamacchia has never caught more than 93 games in a season. That came in 2007, his rookie year that was split between Atlanta and Texas.

He caught 61 in 2008, 84 in 2009 and only 12 in an injury-plagued 2010 season that saw him traded to Boston at the July 31 trade deadlne. If he stays healthy, he is expected to play more than 100 games for the first time in his career.

The meaning of this season is not lost on him. Saltalamacchia seemed on the verge of becoming the latest hot prospect to morph into journeyman status.

With the departure of free agent Victor Martinez to Detroit, and the absence of other star-quality catchers available by trade or free agency, Salty has the No. 1 job on one of baseball’s premier teams. It is not by default, but the opportunity has been helped by circumstance, giving him a chance to work with a seasoned staff with a chance to play in the World Series.

The pitchers have spoken well of him, even while describing their relationship as a work in progress.

“He’s fine. He calls a good game back there,” Lester said.

There is no plan on manager Terry Francona’s part to match certain pitchers with particular catchers. Saltalamacchia has caught Daisuke Matsuzaka only once this spring, but forsees no issue with communication or strategy.

“No problem. We all communicate well together,” he said.

Saltalamacchia said batting against the Phillies’ Roy Halladay on Monday, and other good pitchers the Red Sox have faced, has helped him prepare for the season offensively.

“It’s great to face a guy like that. The season is approaching, and it’s a great challenge,” Saltalamacchia said.

The catcher has been hampered not only by injury, but by a throwing problem often described as the “yips.” He had difficulty throwing the ball back to the pitcher, which landed him in the minor leagues and probably made some teams leery of acquiring him.

The subject is almost never brought up now – not because it’s taboo so much as because player and team consider it old news that no longer applies. Saltalamacchia’st hrowing is back to normal, as general manager Theo Epstein said last year when he acquired him from Texas.

Largely overlooked at the time, amid questions of why the Red Sox did not trade more boldly in late July, the deal carries added importance now that Salty is No. 1, with soon-to-be-39-year-old Jason Varitek his backup and to some degree his mentor.

Even with the throwing issue over, Saltalamacchia has a chance this season to establish defensive credentials that remain a somewhat open question. It is believed he can hit, at least by the standards of his position.

A .248 hitter in 250 career games, Salty is hitting .250 this spring. Three of his six hits have been doubles.

When he has played an adequate amount of time, he has shown some power, hitting 11 home runs in 2007 and nine in 84 games (310 at-bats) with Texas in 2009.

There is the quick update of the day.

Springtime Storylines: Are the Boston Red Sox the best team in baseball?

smapaliniance — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 13:21:21 +0000

Between now and Opening Day, HBT will take a look at each ofÂ the 30Â teams, asking the key questions, the not-so-key questions, and generallyÂ breaking down their chances for the 2011 season. Next up: The Sawx.

The Big Question: Are the Red Sox the best team in baseball?

Man, itâ€™s hard to pick a better one. Offensively theyâ€™ve traded Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre for Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. I think 2011 wins that battle, and I think Gonzalez might be a nice MVP candidate in his new ballpark. Â Add a healthy Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia to the mix and youâ€™re talking about a better overall offense this year than last, and last year the Sox finished behind only the Yankees in runs scored in the American League.

The rotation is less formidable though, like the Yankeesâ€™ rotation, it certainly looks nice at the top with Jon Lester figuring to, once again, be among the elite in the league and with Clay Buchholz poised to build on an impressive 2010. Beyond that are three guys looking to regain past form in Josh Beckett, John Lackey and Diasuke Matsuzaka. Iâ€™m less optimistic about Dice-K than I am Lackey and Beckett, but it seems silly to me to assume that all three of these guys are toast. Figure at least one and probably two of them bouncing back. Also figure that if the back end of the Red Soxâ€™ rotation does come through, its upside is considerably higher than the potential upside of the back end of the Yankeesâ€™ rotation.

Finally, the bullpen, where the addition of Bobby Jenks and the maturation of Daniel Bard will complement the maligned yet still highly effective Jonathan Papelbon to make the final three innings of any game fairly miserable for Red Sox opponents most nights. And donâ€™t sleep on Dan Wheeler who â€” at least judging by superficial bullpen depth charts â€” is one of the better fourth options out of the pen in all of baseball.

Where does that leave us? Iâ€™ll get a little more reflective about their chances below in the â€œSo how are the going to doâ€ section, but for now Iâ€™m going to give a guarded â€œyesâ€ in response to that question. I think the Red Sox are the best team in baseball in 2011.

So what else is going on?

Jacoby Ellsbury has been raking this spring. I donâ€™t spend too much time mucking about the Boston press, but the fact that he could add something major to the Red Sox lineup seems like one of the more underreported stories of the spring. If Ellsbury shines this year, that guarded â€œyesâ€ above turns much more emphatic. Same goes for J.D. Drew who, unlike the vast majority of baseball fans, I am not inclined to sleep on. Heâ€™s good. Heâ€™s always been good and at times heâ€™s been great. He could still turn in an All-Star caliber season, even if no one is all too eager to acknowledge it as such when it goes down.
How much rope does Marco Scutaro have? He toughed his way through injuries and ineffectiveness last year to play in 150 games, but how much of Terry Franconaâ€™s loyalty was based on true confidence in Scutaroâ€™s skills and how much was based on the fact that, with Dustin Pedroia gone, he could use both Scutaro and Jed Lowrie in the lineup? If Scutaro struggles again out of the gate, will Lowrie get a chance to build on a promising 2010?
I have yet to talk to anyone â€” not a single person â€” who knows a thing about about baseball who believes that Jarrod Saltalamacchia is going to last the whole year as the Red Soxâ€™ starting catcher. Itâ€™s his age-26 season now, and no, he hasnâ€™t managed to put it together anywhere heâ€™s been. At least not compared to his promise as a Bravesâ€™ farm hand. Of course, that promise was based mostly on one great year in high-A ball in 2005 and his second go-around at AA in 2007. If Saltalamacchia fails he wonâ€™t be the first former Braves prospect to bite the dust once he reached the majors. Iâ€™m kind of rooting for him because of where he came from, but this is probably his last shot at being a starting catcher in the majors, wouldnâ€™t you agree?
I have no personal interest in David Ortizâ€˜ performance, but I really would like to see him hit well in April and May just so we can avoid a third straight year of questions about the guy and testy responses from Ortiz himself. Thereâ€™s nothing more tiring than â€œIs Big Papi done?â€ talk.

So how are they going to do?

Itâ€™s easy to look at Gonzalez and Crawford, add in the Fenway Park effect that people tend to overstate when a big new bat comes to town and to crown the Red Sox AL East champs right now, But letâ€™s not get too crazy. I think that yes, on paper, the Red Sox are the best team in the division. Which, by definition, makes them the best team in baseball. But theyâ€™re not invincible. They face a substantially similar rotation problem as the Yankees do and their offenses profile pretty similarly as well. Â The Red Sox are not kings only temporarily lacking a crown. They are not an inevitability.

But I do think theyâ€™re a bit better as we kick off the season. That may mean diddly squat once the games actually start, but for now Iâ€™m tasked with picking the winners. And in the AL East I pick Boston.

What are your opinions.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz labors against Tigers

partyvity — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:43:52 +0000

Published: Friday, March 18, 2011, 3:02 PM Â Â Â Updated: Friday, March 18, 2011, 3:34 PM

It was a struggle from the start, but Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz saw some good in that.

“You like to go through games where nobody gets past second base, but in the regular season, you’ll be seeing situations with second and third, less than two out. It’s good to go through those now,” Buchholz said after leaving in the fifth inning Friday against Detroit.

“I struggled with just about everything. I tried to make adjustments at the release point.

“Definitely not one of my best, but facing adversity with runners on, that’s always good (experience).”

For all his command issues, Buchholz allowed only one run in four-plus innings. He was also charged with two unearned runs in the fifth, when the Tigers scofed four unearned runs for a 5-1 lead.

They were the firsr runs allowed this spring by Buchholz, who has made four appearances with three starts for a total of 13 innings.

He threw 41 of his 76 pitches for strikes, walking two with one strikeout.

He would like to get up to about 90 pitches by the end of spring.

“Getting the release point down, and commanding your pitches, that’s number one in spring training. I have a couple of starts left to fix those things,” Buchholz said.

“I was jumping (in his delivery) a bit. Certain games, you’ll go through that.”

Buchholz was a bit wild in his bullpen warmup.

“Some of my best games came after I’d bee wild in the warmup, so you can’t take anything from that. I’s usually better by the second or third inning.”

That never really happened this time. Still, Buchholz was not that bad, only not up to the dazzling status that has become his expectation.

He will enter the season as the No. 3 starter. Last year, he was a conditional No. 5, fighting for a spot that seemed open only because Daisuke Matsuzaka was rehabbing from an injury.

He certainly does not look at his spot with disapproval, even though he has been widely considered Boston’s second best pitcher behind Jon Lester.

“Last year, I was No. 5 and I wound up facing CC Sabathia and Justin Verlander. It doesn’t really matter,” Buchholz said.

Buchholz was visited by pitching coach Curt Young at one point to see if he had a blister. He did not.

The Tigers lineup did not include former Red Sox catcher Victor Martinez, who played against Boston when the teams met at Lakeland Tuesday.

Down the road from City of Palms Park Friday, reliever Bobby Jenks also got in some work at the Red Sox minor league complex. Jenks pitched two scoreless innings against Tampa Bay’s Double A prospects, allowing two hits with two strikeouts and no walks..

Unscored upon this spring, Jenks threw 20 of his 26 pitches for strikes.

Gotta run!.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz labors against Tigers

Hodaundenny — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:43:52 +0000