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Boston Red Sox general manager hasn’t gotten the job done

Angelvevy — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:22:15 +0000

Days removed from the dismissal of Terry Francona as manager of the Red Sox, there is no sign that Theo Epstein’s departure is also imminent.

This much we know:

Epstein has an opportunity to move on. The Cubs’ interest has been piqued, and other clubs would consider snapping up the young (37) GM of the Sox.

Epstein has a year remaining on his present contract, so he’s got a comfort zone.

Epstein certainly would like to right the ship, and his ties to the area (family, Foundation to be Named Later) would almost certainly make him think twice about moving.

We know that he’s a personal favorite of owner John Henry, who, we believe, is still alive since this mess began last month.

Epstein and Sox CEO Larry Lucchino, the Dean Wormer of this Animal House, have had friction in the past. When Epstein left the club wearing a gorilla suit on Halloween night 2005, he apparently left because of a power struggle with Lucchino. The issue was resolved in January, and Epstein returned.

After Francona’s farewell press conference Friday, when Epstein, chairman Tom Werner and Lucchino met the press, Lucchino was hardly effusive in his praise of Epstein when he was asked about the GM’s future with the club. “We’re not prepared to answer that question here… He’s under contract with us so its an issue that has not been addressed,” was all Lucchino said.

Werner quickly jumped in: “I think we feel collectively that he’s one of the best general managers in baseball and has been integral to the success of our club the last 10 years.”

So, unlike the party line with Francona, that they wanted him to stay, there is no such thing with Epstein. There’s no party line.

The real question is that, while there seems to be near universal praise of Francona and his managerial style and ability, that’s not the case with Epstein. In fact, one has to wonder whether Epstein even deserves to continue on with the job that he first assumed on Nov. 25, 2002. While it’s true that the Red Sox have won two World Series under Epstein, the first, 2004, was won with a team largely assembled by Dan Duquette. The Sox have made the playoffs six times in nine years. During the same span the Yankees made it eight times.

The Sox haven’t made it to the playoffs in each of the last two seasons – after being swept by the Angeles in 2009.

Epstein has certainly done a fine job of building the farm system, but he’s also depleted it with his major trades, which is one reason why the Sox were in such trouble this season. While starting pitchers went down one by one, the depth was such that the Sox were forced to rely on Andrew Miller and Kyle Weiland to start.

During his tenure, Epstein has presided over several press conferences that were accompanied by such fanfare that you’d have thought the circus was coming to town. In a way, it was, but the signings of Daisuke Matsuzaka, John Lackey, Mike Cameron, Carl Crawford, Eric Gagne, etc, were busts.

While the Phillies have assembled a staff anchored by Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels, and other teams have stars such as CC Sabathia and Justin Verlander, the Red Sox have been found not to have that one big horse to take them anywhere.

Epstein did a nice job in landing Curt Schilling in 2004, but after losing Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe the following season he added Matt Clement and Wade Miller. Kyle Snyder, Julian Tavarez, Brad Penny and John Smoltz were his desperation attempts to shore up his pitching staff in the tough A.L. East in ensuing years.

In the last two seasons, Epstein picked up Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre and then lost them. The Sox failed, anyway, when they were here. Ditto for this season with Adrian Gonzalez.

The upshot is that for all the hopes and dreams of Sox fans, for all the optimism that goes along with being an upper echelon team in baseball’s best division, Epstein hasn’t gotten the job done.

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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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Ellsbury’s HR in ninth lifts Red Sox

gamebyngeancy — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:38:55 +0000

Updated Aug 3, 2011 11:34 PM ET

BOSTON (AP)

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 a 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.”

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.

”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.”

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 — on Monday or Tuesday night.

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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Red Sox draft Cleveland’s Blake Swihart in first round

Bloornrar — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 10:56:29 +0000

With the No. 26 pick in the 2011 Major League Baseball draft, the Boston Red Sox selected switch-hitting catcher Blake Swihart from Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

Now the question is will Swihart select the Red Sox?

Swihart has signed to play for the Texas Longhorns, the team “he has dreamed about playing for his whole life,” according to the Rio Rancho Observer.

If he chooses to play college ball and wait on the pros, Boston would lose all rights to him. This scenario makes the pick a risky one, but also suggests the Red Sox are confident in Swihart’s signability. The team’s ability to be a big spender will definitely help.

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstine said he likes Swihart as a catcher, which was his high school position. Swihart is the first catcher taken in the first round by the Red Sox since John Marzano in 1984.

Area Red Sox scout Gerald Fernandez sees him projecting at the corners in either the infield or outfield; he certainly has the bat to play there, and taking him out of the grind behind the plate would protect his hitting ability for a longer period of time.

Here is the MLB.com scouting report:

“On pure ability alone, Swihart very well could have first-round talent. That’s particularly true of his bat. He’s got a great swing from both sides of the plate and can really hit. He should hit for average with above-average power. Think a slightly better version of Colby Rasmus, a hitter who could hit .300 with 20+

homers annually. It’s unclear where Swihart’s eventual defensive home will be. A catcher in high school, some feel he won’t stay there at the next level as he’s not the biggest guy in the world, though he does have arm strength, and a team may not want the wear and tear of catching to take away from his offensive potential. A move to the infield seems unlikely as Swihart’s lack of speed wouldn’t suit him at, say, second base, so a corner outfield spot may make the most sense, and he should have enough bat for such a spot. He’s expected to be a very tough sign, with a commitment to the University of Texas, so it might take a team willing to meet his asking price to get him to become a pro this summer.”

Fernandez, a 13-year MLB scout who has been with Boston since 2004 and also served for the Mets and Padres, said Swihart possesses major-league arm strength and swings a plus bat as well. Switch hitting only makes the package even more desirable, as does his young age.

Swihart led team USA with a .448 batting average and six doubles and five homers, according to the Rio Rancho Observer.

According to Fernandez, the Red Sox became most interested in Swihart when he played Area Codes Baseball in Long Beach, California last August. The slugger showed scouts he had no problems hitting a 93 mph fastball and adjusted to that level of pitching much better than most of the other prospects.

Switching back down to the high 80′s during the New Mexico high school baseball season was another matter, however. When Cleveland played Carlsbad in the Artesia Invitational and then came to the Cavemen Classic, Fernandez said he heard plenty of talk from spectators that Swihart wasn’t the real deal because he didn’t perform to expectations.

“People just don’t know when they see talent,” Fernandez said. “Just because the kid doesn’t hit five bombs over a three-day tournament doesn’t mean he’s not going to be a good major leaguer.”

Besides the many on-field tools Swihart brings to the table, Fernandez also said the Red Sox were attracted to the prospect because of his good grades and strong family.

A crowd of MLB scouts followed Swihart to every one of his high school games this season, even the six played here in Eddy County. This created exposure opportunities for Cavemen baseball players such as senior Jered Meek, who Fernandez said will be trying out for the Cincinnati Reds Area Codes team on June 12.

Fernandez still names Carlsbad’s Shane Andrews as the best high school prospect he has ever seen from this region. Cody Ross’ name also comes up but Fernandez says that Andrews and Ross are “completely different players” and are thus hard to compare.

Swihart was the Red Sox second pick of the draft. Boston took RHP Matt Barnes from the University of Connecticut with the No. 19 overall pick, the pick the Red Sox received as compensation from the Detroit Tigers for signing catcher Victor Martinez as a free agent.. They took Swihart at No. 26 with a pick received from the Texas Rangers for signing free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre.

Fireballing RHP Gerrit Cole from UCLA went No. 1 overall to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Texas Rangers did not pick until No. 33 where they took Kevin Matthews, a LHP from Richmond Hill High School in Georgia. Four picks later they took Zach Cone, an outfielder from Georgia.

The San Francisco Giants took SS Joe Panik from St. John’s at No. 29 and RHP Kyle Crick from Sherman High School in Texas.

Kenneth Giles, a RHP from Yavapai College in Prescott Arizona who went to Rio Rancho High School in Albuquerque is the only other player drafted from New Mexico so far. Giles was taken at No. 241 by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Texas Tech’s SS Kelby Tomlinson went at No. 387 to the Giants. CF Bradley Marquez from Odessa High School went at No. 492 to the New York Mets. Lubbock Christain University’s 1B Michael Marshall went at No. 931 to the Phillies.

———-

Information from the Associate Press was used in this report.

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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.”

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Red Sox pick UConn right-hander Barnes

CassTokis — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:01:55 +0000

BOSTON – 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.

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.

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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

National Baseball Editor

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.

Indians welcome Red Sox to Progressive Field

Elenitwildith — Mon, 23 May 2011 20:01:12 +0000

The Cleveland Indians take aim at a fourth straight win
this evening when they open a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox at
Progressive Field.

Cleveland continued to be the league’s biggest surprise over the weekend, as
it took all three games of its interleague set with in-state rival Cincinnati
to up their major league-best mark to 29-15. Thanks to a career day from
Asdrubal Cabrera the Tribe completed the sweep on Sunday, as he had five hits,
including two home runs and five runs batted in during Cleveland’s 12-4
drubbing of the Reds at Progressive Field.

It was Cabrera’s first multi-home run game and five-hit performance. He also
matched a career high in RBI for the Indians, who have won six of their last
eight games.

“Asdrubal Cabrera was a one-man show at the plate today,” Indians manager
Manny Acta said. “He had quality at-bats and he just took over. It was
remarkable.”

Michael Brantley had three hits and two RBI for Cleveland, which scored 12
runs on 13 hits. Carlos Carrasco (3-2) recorded the win, allowing four runs on
six hits over six-plus innings.

The start is the club’s best out of the gates since opening the 2001 season
with a 29-14 mark. The Indians, who are now a season-high 14 games over .500,
have owned at least a share of first place in the American League Central
since April 7.

A big part of Cleveland’s success this season has been its play at home where
it is 18-4, matching the club’s best start through 22 home games in the
franchise’s 111-year history (also in 2007, 1995).

Tonight, the Tribe turn to a hurler very familiar with Boston in righty Justin
Masterson, who started his career with the Red Sox before being dealt to
Cleveland as part of the Victor Martinez deal in 2009. The sinkerballer has
seemed to have found his way this season, as he his 5-2 with a 2.53 ERA.
However, he has lost his last two starts and suffered a hard-luck setback in
his last trip to the hill on Wednesday in Chicago. Masterson gave up just a
run and five hits in eight innings of that one, but was on the wrong end of
the 1-0 loss.

“Both guys threw the ball extremely well tonight,” Acta said. “You know,
unfortunately for us their guys put a run across and we couldn’t.”

Masterson has beaten his former team both times he has faced them, allowing
just a run in 14 innings of those outings.

Boston, meanwhile, enters this weekend on a high note after taking two of
three from the Chicago Cubs over the weekend. In Sunday’s rubber match, Tim
Wakefield gave up just one run while Kevin Youkilis hit a two-run triple to
help the Red Sox take a 5-1 win.

Wakefield (1-1), starting in place of an injured John Lackey, was charged with
just four hits and the run over 6 2/3 innings with three strikeouts for the
Red Sox, who have won eight of their last nine overall.

“On a personal side, every win is precious, but as long as the team wins,”
Wakefield said. “Even though I didn’t get that [3-2 win on May 1] against
Seattle, we came back and won the game, which is the most important thing.”

Adrian Gonzalez went 4-for-4 with two runs scored while Jarrod Saltalamacchia
added a solo home run in the win. Gonzalez was a sizzling 10-for-15 in the
series and is hitting .431 with six homers and 19 RBI in his last 13 games.

He also has five home runs and 14 RBI in his last nine road contests.

Heading to the hill for the Red Sox tonight will be righty Clay Buchholz, who
is 4-3 with a 3.42 ERA. Buchholz did not get a decision on Wednesday against
the Detroit Tigers, despite tossing seven scoreless innings in his team’s 1-0
win.

Buchholz has faced the Indians twice and is 0-1 with a 8.10 ERA.

Cleveland swept a three-game set from the Red Sox earlier in the year at
Progressive Field.

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Boston Red Sox catcher "Salty” can’t get a free pass, but he should get a fair chance

BuyLevaquinOnlinePrescription — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 22:44:02 +0000

Not a week into the season, Red Sox fans have questions about the catcher with the long name and the short resume.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia (hereafter called Salty, because everyone does) is not the No. 1 catcher by grand design. When Theo Epstein traded for him last July, the general manager must have already known Victor Martinez might not be back.

It’s hard to believe Theo thought he had settled the catching issue for years, though.

The early games shined a bright, unflattering light on the new catcher. When Jon Lester gives up three homers and Clay Buchholz tosses up four, must there not be something wrong with the other end of the battery?

Salty deserves a longer, more open-minded trial period than that.

This sounds like last spring, when Red Sox opponents were stealing bases at will and Victor Martinez was blamed.

The Sox eventually neutralized the problem. Now folks are asking if Boston should have upped its payroll even higher by re-signing Martinez.

Many people can’t shake their acute case of Varitek Syndrome. It makes objective judgment of any other Red Sox catchers difficult.

Pitchers from Curt Schilling to Jon Lester have justly praised Jason Varitek’s guru-like game-calling, which has allowed him to remain viable as a backup, even as his hitting and throwing has slipped.

This week, Clay Buchholz said to be patient with Salty, who, after all, could get tips from Varitek.

Intended as support for Salty, it sounded more like an endorsement for his mentor. It did not help that Monday, Saltalamacchia gave up three stolen bases and made an error, and Varitek played the final inning a 3-1 loss to Cleveland.

When Salty caught last Saturday night, and again Sunday afternoon, it was inaccurately suggested in some media that Terry Francona was maneuvering so Varitek could catch for Josh Beckett, whose preference for him is no secret, on Tuesday.

Forgotten was that Salty had caught Beckett for five one-hit innings in an exhibition at Houston.

Francona says Salty needs to relax. Impatient fans are saying there’s no time to break in slowly, that he has to have the skill set and mental approach in place now.

But I would not underestimate the new guy too hastily. Salty is no Pudge Rodriguez with the arm, but he has overcome the “yips,” a problem with throwing the ball to the pitcher.

A lot of afflicted players never get past that. He did.

I don’t know if this young catcher will measure up on a team under pressure to win now, especially with the Yankees coming in this weekend. Teams are sure to test him.

But early April is too soon to judge. Saltalamacchia does not have forever to settle in, but he should get more than one week.

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

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.

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

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