There is a lot of news to report after last night's Red Sox/Yankees game as usual.
Jon Lester was not hit in the knee and should make his next start.
Hideki Okajima returned to Boston yesterday because he was experiencing soreness in his right side.
Victor Martinez will catch Dice-K today after Tek's offensive and defensive disaster last night.
Terry Francona wants a fun celebration when the Red Sox clinch a playoff spot even if it is the Wild-Card.
Hey, remember a while back when everyone was talking about how stagnant our offense was and how we couldn't score runs? I do. It was brutal. I remember the Red Sox putting a new record on the books for the most innings without scoring a run. Not good.
However...lately...that problem seems to have disappeared. Our bats seem to all come out of their slump together and we are once getting those timely hits...often with 2 outs.
Let's take a look at the last couple of weeks....let's start with that Tampa Bay series.
9/12 Red Sox 9, Rays 1 (W)
9/13 Red Sox 3, Rays 1 (W)
9/13 Red Sox 4, Rays 0 (W)
9/15 Red Sox 4, LAA 1 (W)
9/16 Red Sox 9, LAA 8 (W)
9/17 Red Sox 3, LAA 4 (L)
9/18 Red Sox 3, O's 1 (W)
9/19 Red Sox 11, O's 5 (W)
9/20 Red Sox 9, O's 3 (W)
9/21 Red Sox 9, KC 12 (L)
9/22 Red Sox 1, KC 5 (L)
9/23 Red Sox 9, KC 2 (W)
9/24 Red Sox 10, KC 3 (W)
So...7 times out of that stretch we scored 9 runs or more. There were numerous times we blew out the team we were playing and other than the Greinke game...there weren't any games which the team ran away with it against us. We just seem to be hitting on all cylinders.
What is the difference? For me. The answer is easy...and two fold. The answer is VICTOR MARTINEZ.
V MART obviously brings the bat. He's a stud. With him in our lineup as Catcher, JD Drew is the #8 hitter. That's a good lineup. With him in the lineup as Catcher, Mikey Lowell and Papi BOTH get to play the game. So, V MART has brought so much to this team. I hope we keep him. We better!
I said it was two fold. V MART has also seemed to have a real nice influence on one Mr. David Ortiz. Papi used to have Manny and we all know that something has been missing since he's been gone. It seems like Papi & V MART are a new Band of Brothers...in the lineup....in the dugout...in the club house. David Ortiz is a hitter and I never questioned he would get his swing working...but it also seems like the presence of V MART has really given him some extra Papi mojo.
Let's hope...and pray...that this hitting thing we have going on...keeps on right into Yankee Stadium.
Let's GO RED SOX!!! Clap Clap ClapClapClap!
When the Red Sox obtained Victor Matinez they brought a solid bat to the team, they also made Tito's job much harder. To keep V-Mart's bat in the lineup the team needs to rotate Tek, Lowell, and Ortiz out of their usual spots. Red Sox pitchers have long benefited with Varitek calling the game behind the plate and Martinez is not a defensive upgrade, but offensively the team is much better with V-Mart's bat replacing Tek's. When V-Mart goes to first and Youk shifts to third, you get the benefit of allowing Mike Lowell to rest his hip, but his hot bat is on the bench. With Big Papi struggling at the plate, the DH spot has looked like a better spot to play Lowell or V-Mart and keep Tek behind the dish, but that hasn't happened much. Lowell has definitely been the odd man you since V-Mart arrived while Big Papi is usually the DH. Tito can't get away with saying he is just going to start Ortiz against righties because his numbers are very similar against lefties.
There is no question that right now the team is better offensively when Tek and Ortiz are on the bench, letting V-Mart catch and Lowell DH. Big Papi and Tek have been the heart and soul of the Red Sox for years and have a huge fan support but their numbers are starting to hurt the team. It might be time to have them sit out even more. Theo will have to make some big choices in the offseason with those two.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| White Sox | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| Red Sox | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 1 |
“I thought it was O.K.,” said Martinez, who wore a bigger catcher’s mitt during the session. “I dropped some balls, obviously, but we’ll see. I’ll get another bullpen session to try it again. I’m going to do my best and see what happens.”
The Herald has some interesting news on Theo's pursuits of a pitcher and a bat. Not a lot of news on Halladay, but they do say that a deal for Padres 1b Adrian Gonzalez is more likely to happen than a deal for Victor Martinez.
Read more...Something big is cooking and the Red Sox are in negotiations for Halladay and Victor Martinez. Since Cliff Lee was traded to the Phillies the Jays are running out of suitors for their ace. The Red Sox have offered Buchholz and a top prospect and the Jays have countered with an offer the Sox are still mulling. The Yanks have entered the negotiations but really don't have the depth to pull off this deal; they would have to give up Joba and possibly Hughes. Theo knows this team needs a shot in the arm like the '04 team did so be ready for a blockbuster before the end of the week. If I were Buchholz I would start packing my bags.
Read more...The Red Sox had a scout at tonight's Indians-Mariners game to get another look at Victor Martinez. If the Red Sox are going to make a big deal before the deadline it will be for V-Mart.
Read more...
Martinez is hitting .291 with an OPS of .846. The Red Sox need a catcher for the future and Tek's bat has cooled off. Martinez fits the Red Sox mold as he is seeing more pitches this year and getting more walks.
Nothing like an off day to get the rumor mill going. Theo is busy preparing for the worst case scenario where Ortiz never gets his swing back and Tek stops producing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing this and it does not mean that Buchholz or Bowden are on the way out the door. The Red Sox like to go with players they have developed so they will be cautious to jump on a deal where they have to give up some young talent. The Eric Gagne trade soured the team on trading for a quick fix.
Victor Martinez would be a nice solution for the catcher of the future and Nick Johnson is a moneyball type of player but Theo is not about to trade Buchholz, Bowden or MDC unless things get worse.
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