SB Nation - Josh Reddick

Is Jeremy Hermida on the Move?

Ben Buchanan — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:09:14 -0000

More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - AP

5 months ago: Florida Marlins' Jeremy Hermida watches his sacrifice fly to left field that scored Emilio Bonifacio from third in the fifth inning in a baseball game Tuesday, July 21, 2009, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

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Jeremy Hermida might be gone before playing a single game in a Red Sox uniform.

WEEI's Alex Speier reported that when the Red Sox traded for Hermida, they mentioned they were likely to trade him if they were to re-sign Jason Bay. While they will almost certainly not do that, the Cameron signing may well have created the same situation. Cameron is unlikely to be a platoon player, and Hermida's splits are not strong enough to warrant giving him time in the field over Cameron. And at a cost of $3 million, Hermida is an odd choice for a defenseless 4th outfielder.

Hermida will not bring a significant bounty, but there are teams that could use a young outfielder with potential. If the Sox do trade Hermida, they would likely have to look at free agency to replace him, as they will want to get Josh Reddick and eventually Ryan Kalish plenty of at bats in AAA. Darnell McDonald could also serve as a warm body in Fenway to avoid getting caught unaware in case of a sudden injury, but he's not good enough to slot in on any given day. A more ideal solution might be to sign a guy like Jerry Hairston Jr. While he's just as bad offensively, he would bring defensive versatility to the Sox' bench at an affordable price.

Boston Red Sox Top 20 Prospects for 2010

John Sickels — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:52:45 -0000

More photos » by Rob Carr - AP

3 months ago: Boston Red Sox's Josh Reddick fouls off a pitch during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Friday, Sept. 18, 2009, in Baltimore. The Red Sox won 3-1. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

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Boston Red Sox Top 20 Prospects for 2010.

All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change. Don't get too worried about exact rankings at this point, especially once you get beyond the Top 10. Grade C+/C guys are pretty interchangeable depending on what you want to emphasize. Complete reports on these and over 1,000 other players will be in the 2010 Baseball Prospect Book, now available for pre-order, shipping on February 2^nd!

1) Ryan Westmoreland, OF, Grade B+: I love this guy: Five Tool/Seven Skill player who can do everything. I expect more power will come. Just needs to stay healthy.

2) Casey Kelly, RHP, Grade B+: He's not a shortstop, but he's a very good pitching prospect who could advance quickly. Possible number two/three starter.

3) Ryan Kalish, OF, Grade B: Another guy with a broad skill base. I like him slightly better than Reddick due to his superior plate discipline and he's one year younger.

4) Josh Reddick, OF, Grade B: He was rushed. Most people would rank Reddick ahead of Kalish since Reddick has more power. My instinct says Kalish but it's close.

5) Michael Bowden, RHP, Grade B: His component ratios deteriorated in Triple-A, but I still like him. Very similar minor league components to Jeff Suppan, not an ace but if Bowden ends up throwing 2411 average major league innings it counts as a success.

6) Junichi Tazawa, RHP, Grade B-: Bowden ranks a bit ahead because he's younger, but Tazawa is another guy who can be a good inning-eater. Deserves another chance despite poor pitching in Boston.

7) Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Grade B-: Great human interest story and a very solid hitter, but needs to show more power at first base. I think it will come.

8) Lars Anderson, 1B, Grade B-: A difficult grade, but I'm going to give him an injury mulligan and see what he can do with a fresh start. Like Rizzo, will he have the home run power you want in a first baseman?

9) Reymond Fuentes, OF, Grade B-: Borderline C+. Great tools, will he develop skills?

10) Stolmy Pimentel, RHP, Grade B-: Borderline C+. Still projectable, throws strikes.

11) Jose Iglesias, SS, Grade C+: Amazing glove, but I won't rank him higher than this until he shows that he can be an adequate hitter. Could be an Omar Vizquel type if he does.

12) Derrik Gibson, INF, Grade C+: Very athletic, controls the strike zone, steals bases, will he develop some pop?

13) Luis Exposito, C, Grade C+: Deserves more attention than he's received both on offense and defense.

14) David Renfroe, SS-3B, Grade C+: Great scouting reports about bat and athleticism, but need some data.

15) Alex Wilson, RHP, Grade C+: Good fastball/slider combination with sharp command, could rise through system quickly.

16) Roman Mendez, RHP, Grade C+: Breakthrough candidate with a lively arm, need to see what he can do outside the Gulf Coast League, but very intriguing.

17) Pete Hissey, OF, Grade C+: No power yet, but very athletic and projectable.

18) Yamaico Navarro, SS, Grade C+: Injury mulligan. Tools are still here but will he refine them?

19) Madison Younginer, RHP, Grade C+: Raw high school arm with immense potential.

20) Stephen Fife, RHP, Grade C+: Strike-thrower who could develop into an inning-eater type.

21) Kyle Weiland, RHP, Grade C+: Another inning-eating possiblity.

OTHERS (Grade C): Michael Almanzar, 3B; Drake Britton, LHP; Ryan Dent, INF; Felix Doubront, LHP: Tim Federowicz, C; Alex Hassan, OF; Brandon Jacobs, OF; Ryan Lavarnway, C; Che-Hsuan Lin, OF; Will Middlebrooks, 3B; Adam Mills, RHP; Daniel Nava, OF: Eammon Portice, RHP; Jason Rice, RHP; Dustin Richardson, LHP; Manuel Rivera, LHP; Oscar Tejeda, SS; Mark Wagner, C; Fabian Williamson, LHP.

Since the trade isn't final yet, I decided to put off writing about Max Ramirez until I get to the Rangers. I haven't decided on a grade for him yet, but he's somewhere in the B- range I think.

As with the Cardinals, it was really hard to knock this down to 40 players; there were at least another 10 guys I could have written up. I tried to provide a mixture of upside players, role players closer to the majors, and guys I just like for one reason or another. Other guys you could write about include Randy Conseugra, Jason Place, Jose Vinicio, and Zach Daeges, and Aaron Bates. I have to draw the line somewhere however. There just isn't room to include everyone and I could spend a week just trying to make decisions between Grade C guys.

This is a very deep system, though trades and difficult 2009 seasons for some prospects (Anderson, Navarro, Bowden to a lesser extent) reduced what the overall ranking at the top might otherwise look like. They have a good mixture of tools and skills players, polish and upside. The plan to spend money on high-upside guys with difficult signability seems to be working, although not everyone has panned out exactly as expected. A year from now things could look even better: Westmoreland and Kelly are both potential Grade A/A- prospects, and several of the C+ guys have higher grade potential.

All in all, there is a lot here for Red Sox fans to be happy about.,

MLB Trade Rumors: Winter Meetings Coverage Begins Monday

raygu — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:00:17 -0000

by Aaron J. Latham - AP

2 months ago: San Diego Padres' David Eckstein, left, celebrates with teammate Adrian Gonzalez, right, after they scored on Gonzalez's home run in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Aaron J. Latham)

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We at Fake Teams will be covering the trades and signings that occur at the Winter Meetings that start today in Indianapolis. We will address the fantasy impact of the trades and signings that occur this week and throughout the offseason. The biggest name discussed at the Winter Meetings will be the Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay.

Some of the rumored deals could involve the following players changing uniforms:

Steve Henson from Yahoo Sports tweeted the following last night:

The Dodgers have 3-4 teams interested in $$ Juan Pierre and a 3-team deal is being explored to get L.A. a bad-contract starter in return.
The "bad contract" starter the Dodgers might get for Juan Pierre would not be Derek Lowe, a source said. That bridge has burned.

It appears the Yankees and Red Sox are the favorites for Roy Halladay. Halladay to the Yankees for a package of Jesus Montero and Phil Hughes? Halladay to the Red Sox for Clay Buchholz and Josh Reddick? Halladay to the Phils for J.A. Happ and Michael Taylor? The Giants may make sense for Dan Uggla, but where would he play with Freddy Sanchez at second? I'd be shocked if Adrian Gonzalez isn't dealt to the Red Sox now that former Sox Jed Hoyer is the new GM in San Diego. Josh Willingham in Atlanta makes sense.

Would the rumored Milton Bradley-Pat Burrell deal result in one of the worst outfields in the majors? How can Pat Burrell and Alfonso Soriano play in the same outfield? Pierre makes sense in St. Louis, Chicago and Cincinnati, especially with Dusty Baker managing the Reds. Pierre for Arroyo??

Poll

Who is more likely to get traded during the Winter Meetings this week?

Roy Halladay

150 votes

Adrian Gonzalez

90 votes

Javier Vazquez

47 votes

Juan Pierre

86 votes

373 votes | Poll has closed

Rival Hot Stoves: Red Sox

jscape2000 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:00:31 -0000

by Stew Milne - AP

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The Red Sox are chasing the Yankees again, and once again both front offices are looking at the same assets.

1. The Lineup Right Now:

Martinez

Youkilis

Pedroia

Lowell

Lowrie

Anderson

Ellsbury

Drew

Ortiz

Beckett

Lester

Matsuzaka

Wakefield

Buchholz

Bard

Okajima

Ramirez

Papelbon

2. Prospects to Watch:

Josh Reddick- an outfielder with the speed to play all 3 spots, Reddick's bat didn't perform well in his September call up. HIs high batting average has carried him quickly through the minors (only 18 games at AAA and less than 90 games at AA). He's a see it- hit it type, and I wonder if his defense is strong enough to make Jacoby Ellsbury a trade chip in the quest for a certain high profile pitcher from North of the Border.

Michael Bowden- the 23 year old compares to IPK- high 80s to low 90s fastball, plus command of fastball and curve. He saw 16 innings of work in Boston (8G, 1 start), be he pitched very well in AAA Pawtucket (24 starts, average 5.1IP, 106H, 44BB, 88K). As a trade chip or as the first replacement starter, Bowden is a part of the Red Sox future.

Lars Anderson- the big first baseman had a terrible season in 2009, hitting a Jose Molina-esque .233/.328/.345 in 119 games in his second year at AA. He'll need a big bounce back to put his career back on track.

Matchup with the Yankees:

Victor Martinez's defense as a full time catcher will make Posada look like Bill DIckey. The right side of the infield will stand up with anybody in the league, but the Sox suffered through a season of near replacement level on the left side, so it's no surprise that the front office has wondered if their Gold Glove 2B might not play a good enough SS to sign or trade for a strong second baseman.

At the moment the Red Sox have the stronger rotation. Adding Halladay, or adding Lackey and seeing Halladay go anywhere but New York, would make the Red Sox the AL favorites.

The Quick ReLoad:

The Red Sox took $12M off the books before the start of the 2009 season. Another $40M came off at the end of season. If Boston has only $30M to spend, that's enough to make the second best team in the AL even more imposing.

A left fielder is a must-have, but there are a slew of available left fielders, and all of them could handle the small patch of grass in the shadow of the Green Monster.

Either the Red Sox have to acquire a shortstop, or they have move Pedroia and choose from the relatively stronger crop of second basemen.

Wrap-up:

The Sox got basically nothing from Matsuzaka, and replaced his quality with Brad Penny and John Smoltz. Even if a trade for Halladay weakened the Red Sox for a decade, it would make them a frightening team to face in 2010, both over the regular season and in a playoff series.

My sincerest hope is that Theo learned nothing from his lightning in a bottle 2009 approach. Another season of Nick Green at short and Tim Wakefield as the #3 pitcher would make me a happy Yankee. My fear is that the $50M that have come off the books in the last 2 seasons is on its way back into the payroll.

Over the Monster Top 20 Prospects Voting: #1

Ben Buchanan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:03:20 -0000

Lars Anderson, last year's consensus #1, has likely fallen. Who will take over in his place? via

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It's that time of year again, folks. This year, we're going to be compiling the top 20 prospects in the farm system according to you, the Over the Monster readers, and it will likely be somewhat less cut and dry this time around given the rather seismic nature of the minors this year. We're trying out a new Google Docs based system to make the voting more open. I've provided write ups of 15 of the Sox' best prospects, but voting is not limited to them by any means. Just type in a name and submit.

Lars Anderson

Age: 22 | Position: 1B | Level: AA

2008: .317/.408/.513 (A+) | .316/.436/.526 (AA)

2009: .233/.328/.345

Considered by most to be the Red Sox' top prospect at the beginning of the year, Lars Anderson's stock has dropped significantly following a dismal 2009 campaign. Still, Anderson remains a top name in the farm system. He has huge power potential which he had displayed in earlier years, which combined with great plate patience should be the recipe for a top offensive player.

Michael Bowden

Age: 23 | Position: SP | Level: AAA

2008: 2.33 ERA, 101:24 K:BB, .92 WHIP (AA) | 3.38 ERA, 29:5 K:BB, 1.13 WHIP (AAA)

2009: 3.13 ERA, 88:47 K:BB, 1.21 WHIP

If Lars was first last year, Michael Bowden was almost always second. Like Lars, Bowden has also had something of a discouraging year, but unlike Lars, Bowden's problems came at the major league level, where he was pounded, giving up 17 runs in 16 innings. Still, Bowden is young and impressed at AAA, where for much of the year he was outshining Clay Buchholz. The righty has a low-90s four-seamer, a high-80s two-seamer, a curve with a lot of movement, a very good circle change, and a recently added mid-80s slider which has yet to come along.

Felix Doubront

Age: 22 | Position: SP | Level: AA

2008: 3.67 ERA, 118:24 K:BB, 1.21 WHIP (A)

2009: 3.35 ERA, 101:52 K:BB, 1.41 WHIP

After a breakout 2008, Prince Felix has been rocketing through the Sox system at an impressive pace. Almost entirely skipping advanced-A and making a seemingly seamless transition into AA, Doubront is poised to start 2010 at AAA—something nobody could've predicted when he posted an 8.93 ERA in Greenville in 2007. Doubront is a 3-pitch pitcher with a fastball that sits in the high 80s, a good change, and a curveball. Though his fastball is nothing special, his unique delivery can fool batters.

Luis Exposito

Age: 22 | Position: C | Level: AA

2008: .283/.328/.508 (A) | .301/.331/.509 (A+)

2009: .274/.332/.427 (A+) | .337/.371/.489

Providing much needed hope for the Red Sox behind the plate, Exposito has displayed a great deal of talent both at and behind the plate. At the plate, Expo is an above average power threat for his position, with a good power swing. He makes a fair deal of contact, but doesn't have the speed to make too much use of it. Instead, Expo would likely be better off working on his discipline, which has netted him only 48 walks in over 800 plate appearances over the last two years. Behind the plate, Luis has great defensive catching skills, but needs to work a bit on the mechanics of his throw to translate arm strength into caught baserunners. Exposito is a clubhouse favorite, notably acting as combination best friend and interpreter to fellow prospect Jose Iglesias.

Reymond Fuentes

Age: 18 | Position: CF | Level: Rookie (GCL)

2009: .290/.391/.379

The new kid on the block, it's hard to mention Fuentes without drawing comparisons to Jacoby Ellsbury. Lots of speed, little pop, not much of an arm, with a tendency for the spectacular. Fuentes is currently lacking in discipline both on the basepaths, where he stole 9 bases in 14 attempts, and at the plate, where he managed only 7 walks in over 150 appearances. Still, both are areas that are likely to improve with professional experience, and Fuentes already has one key advantage over Jacoby: his ability to make good reads.

Derrik Gibson

Age: 19 | Position: SS | Level: Short Season

2008: .309/.411/.394 (Rookie) | .086/.233/.086 (Short Season)

2009: .290/.395/.380

A hidden gem of the Sox system, Derrik Gibson is an absolute on base machine. His plus speed nets him a high average along with a very good number of stolen bases (28 in 33 attempts last year), and his discipline keeps him on the basepaths. Gibson is a plus defender in the middle, and projects to remain at short or second throughout his career. The one obvious knock on Gibson is that he seriously lacks power, and may well not hit more than 2 or 3 home runs in an average year—he has yet to hit one in the minors.

Jose Iglesias

Age: 19 | Position: SS | Level: ? (A-AA)

The newer kid on the block, Jose Iglesias is already drawing attention in Arizona, where observers say there's a lot to the hype Iglesias had coming in as a top defender. Descriptions like "MLB ready" "plus" and even "Ozzie Smith like" have done nothing to lower expectations. The question with Iglesias remains if he will be able to perform offensively. While there is no doubt he is still raw, so far Jose has performed surprisingly well in a limited sample size against the elite Arizona Fall League competition, where he's currently batting .286/.344/.446 with two homers. While speed is not the reason why Iglesias is such a remarkable defender, he does bring a bit to the table, and is 3-for-3 in attempts so far.

Ryan Kalish

Age: 21 | Position: CF | Level: AA

2008: .281/.376/.356 (A) | .233/.305/.397 (A+)

2009: .304/.434/.504 (A+) | .271/.341/.440

One half of 2009's pair of breakout outfielders, Kalish started the year on fire as his power emerged for the first time. Kalish hit 5 homers in 115 at bats in Salem before being promoted to Portland, where he experienced a decent post-promotion slump. Kalish was not to be kept down, though, and ended the season making AA look as easy as A+, even if the season totals seem unremarkable. Kalish has great patience at the plate, consistently managing high OBPs, and is an above average fielder, showing a good arm, range, and glove. Kalish could pan out as either a center fielder or right fielder. One underrated aspect of Ryan's game is his speed, which has regularly netted him about 20 stolen bases a year with a high success rate.

Casey Kelly

Age: 20 | Position: SP/SS | Level: A+

2008: .173/.229/.255 (Rookie) | .344/.344/.563 (Short Season)

2009: .214/.290/.464 (Rookie) | .224/.305/.313 (A)

2009: 1.12 ERA, 39:9 K:BB, .85 WHIP (A) | 3.09 ERA, 35:7 K:BB, .87 WHIP

Perhaps the greatest source for angst in the Sox' farm system is Casey Kelly's position decision: shortstop, or pitcher? It would seem an obvious choice through 2 years, as Kelly is already pushing AA as a starter, but is clearly not ready to leave A-ball as a shortstop. Unfortunately, Kelly has stated his personal preference for shortstop a few times, and so the angst continues. As a pitcher Kelly mixes in a plus curveball and good changeup with his low-90s fastball. He's got great control over all his pitches and is not going to give up a lot of free passes or high meatballs as a result. As a shortstop, Kelly is a plus defender who has shown some potential for good power, but has yet to consistently get on base.

Yamaico Navarro

Age: 22 | Position: SS | Level: AA

2008: .280/.341/.412 (A) | .348/.393/.508 (A+)

2009: .319/.373/.543 (A+) | .185/.270/.304 (AA)

A solid defender with a potentially big bat, Navarro makes solid contact with regularity and has enough power to make a few of them leave the park. Not a hugely disciplined hitter, Navarro is going to have to continue to hit the ball or refine his approach if he wants to be productive at higher level, as his average speed will not bail him out. Navarro is not a plus defender, but will not make you uncomfortable if slotted in at second, short, or third.

Stolmy Pimentel

Age: 19 | Position: SP | Level: A

2008: 3.14 ERA, 61:17 K:BB, 1.08 WHIP (Short Season)

2009: 3.82 ERA, 103:29 K:BB, 1.39 WHIP

With a signing bonus of just $25,000, Stolmy Pimentel is looking like one of the Sox' best international bargains. The tall righty has a fastball that can reach the mid 90s with a potentially plus curve and change. Pimentel has the ability to generate swings and misses without offering up a lot of walks, which should serve him well as he moves up through the organization

Josh Reddick

Age: 22 | Position: CF | Level: AAA

2008: .340/.397/.491 (A) | .343/.375/.593 (A+) | .214/.290/.436 (AA)

2009: .277/.352/.520 (AA) | .127/.190/.183

The Sox' most MLB-ready position prospect, Reddick has cut through the Sox' farm system in a mere 3 years' time. Reddick is a versatile outfielder likely to end up in either center or right depending on who you ask. In center, Reddick would likely have around MLB average range—maybe less, given the recent rise of the position defensively speaking—but would be capable none-the-less. Reddick also has a cannon arm with great accuracy. At the plate, Reddick makes good contact and brings a good deal of power to the table with the potential for more as he matures. Josh has struggled with discipline in the past, but seems to be coming around some, improving to a BB% of around 10 last year.

Anthony Rizzo

Age: 20 | Position: 1B | Level: A+

2009: .298/.365/.494 (A) | .295/.371/.420 (A+)

After missing much of 2008 following a diagnosis of Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Rizzo has stormed back from his illness and established himself in the upper echelon of Sox prospects. Rizzo brings an advanced approach to the plate and combines it with a strong bat that, while currently being more of a doubles threat, has shown the potential to be a home run threat. Rizzo is a plus defender at first, with a great feel for the game and good range. Given his strong arm, it's not inconceivable that Rizzo could move to third down the line, though for now he projects much better as a first baseman.

Junichi Tazawa

Age: 23 | Position: SP | Level: AAA

2009: 2.57 ERA, 88:26 K:BB, 1.08 WHIP (AA)

Red Sox fans got to see a lot more of Tazawa than they expected to this year. After being predicted to start anywhere from high A to the MLB, Tazawa settled in at AA Portland and pitched very well. Shortly after being called up to AAA (where he pitched 2 games looking much like he had in Portland), Tazawa was rushed to the majors as injuries and mediocrity took their toll on the Sox' rotation. Things did not go well for him there, where he was pounded for 23 runs (21 earned) in 25.1 innings. So he's not ready for the MLB yet. Tazawa still looks every bit like he's got what it takes to be an MLB starter. His fastball sits around 90 MPH with some plus potential, but it's his wide assortment of off-speed pitches that makes Tazawa special. His curveball, slider, and forkball are all above-average pitches, the last 2 with plus potential. Unlike his Japanese compatriot Daisuke, Tazawa has a tendency to attack the zone and as a result does not walk a lot of guys. Future success in the majors will depend on if he can generate swings-and-misses on his secondary stuff.

Ryan Westmoreland

Age: 19 | Position: CF | Level: Short Season

2009: .296/.401/.484

The official Wunderkind of the Red Sox system, Westmoreland is an amazing all-around player. Offensively he brings an advanced approach to the plate resulting in a BB% of over 15, a power bat good for 7 home runs this year with potential for a good few more, and intelligence and speed (perhaps the fastest player in the entire system) on the basepaths that allowed him to steal 19 bases without being caught once. That speed is also a big part of what makes him a great defensive center fielder. So far Westmoreland has had some injury troubles—a torn Labrum last year, and a broken collarbone this year—but neither are the sort of injury that makes you think he's inherently fragile.

MLB Trade Rumors: Carlos Beltran to the Red Sox?

raygu — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:15:22 -0000

More photos » by Henny Ray Abrams - AP

3 months ago: New York Mets' Carlos Beltran singles in the seventh inning of the Mets' 6-3 loss to the Florida Marlins in a baseball game at Citi Field in New York, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)

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Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald wrote yesterday that he thinks the Red Sox should trade for the Met's center fielder Carlos Beltran to improve their outfield defense. A trade for Beltran would move current CFer Jacoby Ellsbury to left field, thus eliminating the Sox chances of re-signing Jason Bay.

If the Mets do look to rid themselves of some big contracts, Beltran could be on the block, and the Mets could get a pretty good return for Beltran since his contract doesn't run out until 2011.

Ia m sure the usual names would be involved in any deal for Carlos Beltran-Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden, Josh Reddick, and so on.

Poll

Should the Red Sox trade some major league ready prospects for Carlos Beltran?

Yes, he's better all around than Jaspn Bay-do it.

119 votes

No, keep the prospects and sign Bay or Matt Holliday.

257 votes

376 votes | Poll has closed

2 Postgames at Once, and An Ellsbury Examination

bs.uf15bosox9bears23 — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 03:18:59 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

Ells sucks.

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Bullet point format engage.

Game 1:

We lost 9-5, but it wasn't as close as that may seem.
Lester didn't look very good, and had to leave the game when he was hit by a comebacker in his right quad. At the time it occurred, the injury looked much worse to some people. Lester lay on the mound in pain (second scariest sports moment this weekend for me) for a few minutes before limping off the field with a little assistance. He managed to make it to the clubhouse, after a momentary stumble in the tunnel (Papi was playing the role of overly concerned team mom).
Joba looked pretty good. I am sad about this. The offense was able to get to the MFY pitching eventually though.
Bowden managed to redeem a little of his standing as a prospect. Still has a lot of work to do though.

Game 2:

3-0 MFY
Dice-K managed to Houdini his way out of a couple of tight spots, with some help from a super-human effort by Vic to get a diving force out with the bases loaded after Botch Tots dribbled one. Fortunately, Dice-K saved his bad pitching for when the bases were empty, allowing a homer to Cano.
The MFY scored a couple more runs off of Wagner, while the offense could barely get hits off CC&Co.
Ellsbury managed to muff a couple plays, allowing one to drop in front of him that he should have played, even if Jed had called for it, and missing on a dive after making a horrible read. More on this in a second.
Jed played!!!!

So... umm... yeah. There's your postgames, if anyone was dying to read them. Now, time to rant.

Guess what I realized (with help from Drugs) today? Ellsbury isn't that great. He's hitting at a good clip, for sure. I can't argue against that - a .302 batting average is definitely above average. The problems come when we start looking deeper into the stats than the box score templates from the 1950s.

First, there's his meh-inducing .353 OBP. It's not horrible, but it's not quite what we need from a batter who is supposed to be leading off. His slugging has improved from last year, rising from .394 to .419, which is mildly encouraging. What seems to be the problem here is that he was SO impressive in his debut at the end of 2007, posting .394 OBP and .509 SLG in 116 regular season ABs, that we have expected him to be the superstar that stole the job from Coco Crisp in that postseason. Of course, we should have realized that we were judging him based ona very small sample size, but I think we were so infatuated with this kid who burst out of AAA with no apparent slowing down, that we didn't care. Now, he's become a project at the plate, slowly improving on a ~13% Strike Out Rate and making a tiny improvement his Walk Rate, pushing it up a couple tenths of a percent to 7%. We could accept this if he wasn't leading off, getting the most Plate Appearances of any batter in the lineup. We could also accept it if he was able to make up for his average bat with his glove.

Wait, why am I saying "if" when discussing Ells' defense? I mean, he makes all those highlight reel plays all the time - he's always popping up on Web Gems!!!

I hate to break it to some of you, but using Web Gems to evaluate a player is worse than using errors. Both are pretty bad, but at least errors doesn't limit it to the 5 worst plays in baseball on a certain day. Besides, both errors and Gems are subjective judgements - errors are rarely called unless the player makes contact with the ball, forgiving bad jumps or reads and punishing players who try to make plays on balls that are WAY out of their zone. Gems give EXTRA credit to plays that are made after a player messes up the read, it seems sometimes.

Now, the Sabermetric defensive stats aren't perfect, but at least they take opinions out of the matter (for the most part). The most popular and easily accessible stat, UZR, might lose points with some of you after I share this data:

Ells has cost the Sox 12.7 runs so far this season, approximately a little more than a full win.

Now, this is a comparison to the average centerfielder, a talent level that has skyrocketed in the past few seasons. That doesn't make his defensive issues any less of a problem though - if anything, it makes it more pressing. If better talent is available, why are we allowing such a mediocre player to roam one of the most important defensive positions?

He makes horrible reads quite often, doesn't go after balls that he should, appears to be developing an Abreu-like fear of walls at times, and has a noodle arm. He really is not the defensive star that we came to expect (although he was just as bad in the much smaller sample size of 2007 - roughly a -11 UZR/150 in both seasons at CF). I can't help but wonder if we should have traded Ells instead of Coco Crisp this past offseason - especially if we could have gotten more than RamRam. [Oddly, even Coco had a horrible 2008 in the field.]

Someone please tell me why we shouldn't do everything possible to replace Ells. He definitely needs to be lower in the lineup, but I think we might need to trade him and start Josh Reddick next season.

Bloody Sox Laundry, 9/23 - Clubhouse Chemistry and More Playoff Roster Prepping

bs.uf15bosox9bears23 — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:00:55 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

I'm a sucker for pictures like this.

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Can We Measure Clubhouse Chemistry? - The Baseball Analysts

Not a huge difference maker, it would appear. Still a difficult topic to handle.

Another wild scenario - BostonHerald.com

Okay, how about we focus on getting the Wild Card first? THEN we can decide whether or not it's worth the effort to take down the MFY. Although, according to Ms. Benjamin, it would appear that the Sox aren't going to make a big push.

No shortage of Red Sox news at shortstop - The Boston Globe

A good summary of the continuingly revolving door. Hopefully, Jed will get some chances to prove himself this week, and will get his shot again this winter, with a healthy wrist.

Lowrie determined to get healthy - MLB

Jed Lowrie continues to do everything he can to get his surgically repaired left wrist healthy enough to at least become an option for the Sox come postseason.

What's next for Wake - Extra Bases

How much longer will the next wait be? It is clear Wakefield has not rejoined the starting rotation, but merely made a cameo in the group he anchored at one point early this season. The Sox will convene with Wakefield on Tuesday and try to determine a plan.

NOTE: NG - we need to figure out how this fits into the bet. I mean, does this count as finishing the season? He's making starts in the last few weeks, so I'm leaning towards "yes" - which would mean I win.

After the jump: MDC's trying, BtB begins to look into the near future, and we consider the moves to be made in future seasons.

Delcarmen trying to reclaim his touch - MLB

While the Sox, collectively, try to put the finishing touches on their sixth playoff appearance in the past seven years, Manny Delcarmen continues the individual pursuit of trying to regain his form.

MDC has great stuff - there has to be something he can do to reach his potential. That said, his drop in value is saddening. I've got something that might cheer some of you up though:

As If We Needed Further Proof That Jennifer Garner is One of the Greatest Women Alive - Surviving Grady

SO very close to getting the lineup right. Nice to see the celeb fans are keeping up with us common folk.

2009 American League Playoff Preview: Rotation - Beyond the Box Score

Dice-K kinda screws with the data, but here's a better-than-decent representation of what the rotations will look like. I wonder how different they will look in a couple of years...

2011 MLB Free Agents - MLBTradeRumors.com

It's like a catalog - pick the players that would be good signings, if they were available right now.

Josh Reddick isn't ready for the majors yet . . . but he's not far away - projo.com

Might make that FA list less important - that's a good thing though.

Meanderings on amateur representation - THT

Because we need some good, thought provoking material once we've got the Wild Card locked up.

Discuss, link, gossip - whatever it is, do it here.

Boston Bats Come Alive as Sox Squash Orioles 11-5

Ben Buchanan — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 03:06:48 -0000

More photos » by Rob Carr - AP

3 months ago: Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Jon Lester throws to a Baltimore Orioles batter during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

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On a night when Jon Lester did not have his best stuff, the Red Sox' bats came alive to give him all the support he needed.

Against a team he traditionally dominated, Lester was shaky, and often seemed bothered by the condition of the mound. Commentator Dennis Eckersley observed he looked generally uncomfortable throughout much of his start. While giving up 10 hits including 2 homers would usually result in a few more runs, Lester managed to avoid serious damage, letting only 3 Orioles cross home plate and recording the quality start.

David Hernandez, the Orioles starter, had a pretty similar night. 7 hits, 3 walks, and a home run added up to 3 runs over 6 innings. But it wasn't the Orioles' starter that would give up the game, but their bullpen and defense. Matt Albers would give up 2 runs while recording only 1 out. Alberto Castillo fared even worse, facing 3 batters and giving up a hit to each. Finally, Bob McCrory would put the game well out of reach with a little help from Ty Wigginton, whose error would allow Victor Martinez to reach base in the 8^th. 4 batters, 2 homers, and 5 runs later the Red Sox were firmly in control.

The Sox' offense came from all kinds of places, with every starter recording a hit. Josh Reddick put the Sox up early 2-1 with a 2-run homer in his first at bat, David Ortiz had 2 doubles, Mike Lowell went 3-4, and JD Drew went 3-5 with a double and a 3-run shot. Even Brian Anderson managed to knock one out.

There was some mild drama in the 9^th inning as Manny Delcarmen would fail to record an out, offering up 2 homers to the first 2 batters he faced and then walking the next 2 men. Ramon Ramirez would come in to clean up after him, getting a pop out and a double play while giving up only a walk.

Red Sox Nation will get its second look at the recuperated Daisuke Matsuzaka tomorrow after a good start against the Angels. The Orioles counter with Jason Berken, who Sox fans might remember for his last performance against the team when he gave up 7 hits, 2 walks, and 6 runs before exiting with 1 out in the first on August 2^nd. Hopefully the Boston batters will have as much success when they go for the sweep tomorrow.

Bloody Sox Laundry - 9/12/09

bs.uf15bosox9bears23 — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:00:36 -0000

by Winslow Townson - AP

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The rain actually helped us this time - kinda cool. Anyways, with the rotation getting shifted a little, guess who's getting a shot?

Matsuzaka to start Tuesday - Extra Bases

The rest of the rotation's immediate schedule's in there too.

Rapid fire links now:

Buchholz masters changeup - The Boston Globe

Pedroia good, but not like ’08 - Telegram.com
I'm starting to think there's a reason why this isn't a famous news source.

Players of the Month of August/September: Chris Carter & Jose Alvarez - SoxProspects.com

Josh Reddick’s dad happy to see this day - BostonHerald.com

Parade of crossdressing Red Sox rookies set to begin - Red Sox Monster
ALWAYS weird.

Lots of baseball to played this weekend - feel free to discuss whatever news breaks or any links you want to share or comment on.