By Rob Neyer

– National Baseball Editor

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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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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

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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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.

Published: Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 4:24 PM     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.

Published: Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 4:24 PM     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.