Fenway Fables

The Red Sox’ 7-3 victory yesterday swapped sweep for sweep and established a little more realistic gap between the teams. While the 2008 Rays are a viable, talented and balanced team, the 2008 Red Sox played to their own level this weekend. After managing just five runs and 17 hits last weekend, the Red Sox offense sliced and diced its way to 26 runs and 39 hits in these three games, lifting their team batting average eight points to .286.

Beginning tonight, the Red Sox will be on a 10-day, 10-game road trip that begins with four in Detroit against the Tigers, whose own offense finally has risen out of its April slumber. Detroit’s pitching, especially its bullpen, is suspect, so what the Red Sox did against Tampa Bay was encouraging for their chances against Detroit. And the Sox will need pitching like they got this weekend against Tampa Bay and for much of the Blue Jays series before that.

Each of the last three starters, Clay Buchholz, Josh Beckett and Jon Lester yesterday, recorded a victory and during the last eight games they have posted a combined 1.92 ERA. If the team continues to get starts like these, combined with mashing efforts from the offense, the current three-game AL East lead won’t disappear in the near future.

Sox Notes:  With the Red Sox about to play the most loaded lineup in the league in Detroit over the next four games, the club decided that having an extra pitcher was more valuable than another bat.  That was the main factor in the club’s decision last night that right-handed reliever Craig Hansen will be called up from Triple-A Pawtucket to take the roster spot of outfielder Brandon Moss, who will be placed on the disabled list (appendectomy).

The Sox took their first Japanese exhibition game from the Hashin Tigers, 6-5, in front of 37,431 fans in the Tokyo Dome.  Jonathan Papelbon finished off the game with an inning of work, following Clay Buchholz, Kyle Snyder, Javier Lopez, and Manny Delcarmen.

The Red Sox offense was led by David Ortiz (2-4, HR, 1 R, 1 RBI), Kevin Youkilis (2-5), J.D. Drew (1-4, HR, 3 RBI), and Mike Lowell who went two for three with a run scored.

Tim Wakefield starts on Sunday for the BoSox.

Tim Wakefield threw three shutout innings, allowing one hit with three strikeouts and two walks on 48 pitches.  Wakefield appeared to get stronger as the game progressed. David Aardsma and Bryan Corey contributed three scoreless innings of work in relief, however Craig Breslow, Hunter Jones and Lee Gronkiewicz didn’t fare blowing a 5-1 lead by surrendering 6 earned runs over the final 2 innings in a 9-6 loss to the Dodgers at Fort Myers. Dustin Pedroia, Sean Casey each had 2 hits and Jacoby Ellbury doubled and made an outstanding defensive play in center field. The Sox travel to Fort Lauderdale today to take on the Orioles at 1:05 PM.

Notes:  The Red Sox agreed to terms with all 18 of their unsigned players for 2008, none of whom had his contract renewed. Jonathan Paplebon  set a salary record for closers with just two-plus years of service time yesterday when he and the ballclub agreed to terms on a $775,000 one-year deal. Dustin Pedroia came to terms ($457,000), as did Jon Lester ($421,500), Manny Delcarmen ($421,000), Jacoby Ellsbury ($406,000), and Clay Buchholz ($396,000). The major league minimum is $390,000 this year. The other agreements were reached with pitchers David Aardsma, Craig Breslow, Bryan Corey, Devern Hansack, Kyle Jackson, Edgar Martinez, and David Pauley; catchers Dusty Brown and George Kottaras; infielders Chris Carter and Argenis Diaz, and outfielder and Brandon Moss.

Bartolo Colon will face live hitters on Saturday before the team heads to Vero Beach to play the Dodgers.  George Kottaras tweaked a quadriceps muscle tripping over first base. Although he came out of the game, the injury is not expected to keep him out long.

Kyle Snyder threw 3 scoreless innings, walking 1 while surrendering 1 hit in his bid to win the No. 5 starters slot. Former all-star Dan Kolb attempting to make the club as a bullpen piece wasn’t sharp for the 2nd consecutive outing.  Rookie Justin Masterson allowed 4 hits and 1 walk over 2 innings of work and although he suffered the loss, Masterson continues to impress.  

The Sox and Twins finished the ‘B’ game in a 2-all tie called after nine innings. Joe Thurston, a nonroster invitee who two years ago was a Triple A All-Star at second base, played left field, singled home a run, and tripled and scored the other on a passed ball.

Bartolo Colon may not hit the ambitious target date he set for himself when he arrived at Red Sox camp last week, but the former Cy Young Award winner continues to impress his new team. Colon threw 42 fastballs and changeups to Doug Mirabelli and was able to locate to both sides of the plate. 

Notes: Coco Crisp has a slight groin injury and will sit out today’s game against the Pirates. Julio Lugo is experiencing minor issues with his back and is considered day-to-day. The Red Sox are expected to make their first-round of spring training roster cuts after Saturday’s game against Florida.

Red Sox youngsters Jon Lester, Clay Bucholtz, and Craig Hansen all pitched over the weekend, with less than stellar results. Lester wasn’t sharp-walking 4 while allowing 2 hits and 4 earned runs in 1 inning of work. Bucholtz was hit hard, surrendering 5 hits and 1 walk over 2 innings of work. Craig Hansen hoping to build on the success of last season also lacked focus, walking 3 batters and allowing 2 hits and 4 earned runs over 1 inning of work .

In today’s action; Kyle Snyder opens his bid for the 5th starters slot against the Marlins with Dan Kolb, and rookie Justin Masterson expected to appear. Players scheduled to make the trip to Jupiter this afternoon include Kevin Youkilis, Jed Lowie, Jacoby Ellsbury, Brandon Moss, Chris Carter, Kevin Cash, Bobby Kielty, and Dustin Pedroia. Sean Casey will lead-off and play first and Jason Varitek will bat second in a “B’ game against the Twins that will also feature Josh Beckett, Mike Timlin, David Aardsma, Edgar Martinez, Michael Bowden, and Hunter Jones.

Spring training has officially begun for the World Champion Boston Red Sox.  The Red Sox beat Boston College and Northeastern University by a combined score of 39-0.  

In the 24-0 victory over BC, Josh Beckett looked sharp, throwing 2 perfect innings while striking-out 4 of 6 batters faced. Beckett was successfully followed by Kyle Snyder, Javier Lopez, Manny Delcarmen and Bryan Corey who threw effectively only surrendering one hit over five innings of work.  Outfielder Brandon Moss went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and catching prospect George Kottaras drove in three runs.  Big Papi and Dustin Pedroia also hit RBI doubles in an eight-run second inning.

Justin Masterson’s Red Sox debut against NE was impressive.  Masterson who has a chance to progress to the Boston bullpen in 2008, pitched two-scoreless innings, allowing one-hit and fanning one.  2005 first round draft pick Craig Hansen did nothing to hinder his chance of making the team by throwing a scoreless inning and striking-out two hitters. Coco Crisp, J.D. Drew, Alex Cora, and Chris Carter all had doubles, Carter also scored 3 runs.

Terry Francona announced the regulars expected to play in today’s game against the Minnesota Twins: Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Lowell, Julio Lugo, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Coco Crisp, and Bobby Kielty. Daisuke Matsuzaka will be the starter.

Today’s game is big-time; it’s for the Fort Myers Mayor’s Cup…

Baseball America recently revealed their top ten Red Sox prospect list and topping the list is Clay Buckholz.  Little surprise because the kid already has a major league no-hitter under his belt.  Buckholz is going to get a shot to pitch in the Red Sox crowded rotation in 2008 and hopefully he’ll play a vital cog in a repeat championship for the Red Sox.

Coming in at number two is Jacoby Ellsbury and again, this isn’t a huge surprise because Ellsbury has already shown his stuff in the big leagues.  Assuming the Ellsbury isn’t dealt for Johan Santana, he should be the team’s starting centerfielder in 2008 and again, hopefully he can follow in Dustin Pedoria’s footsteps and put together a rookie of the year caliber season.

First baseman Lars Anderson comes in at number three and this is a guy you like to see make some noise.  He was scooped up in the eighteenth round so he’s a definite sleeper but he put up some very nice numbers splitting time between High A and Low A.  At 20, he could see some time in Double A next year but he’s still probably a couple of seasons away.

After that, things thin out with Justin Masterson coming in at number four.  He had decent but not great numbers and as a starter, he won’t see much time in the big leagues unless the Red Sox have multiple injuries to their starters.  Still, he’ll get to test his mettle against Triple A hitters and he’ll be ready if the Red Sox need him in 2008.

Jed Lowrie rounds out the top five and the infielder is blocked from pushing into the big leagues so some repeat time at Pawtucket will be neccesary.  Lowrie is one of the guys who’s supposedly part of the package the Red Sox threw out to the Twins for Johan Santana so his time with the Sox may be numbered.

Nick Hagadone, the team’s first round pick in 2007, comes in at number eight.  There’s some definite promise with him but according to his profile, the Red Sox aren’t sure whether he’ll end up being a starter or as a reliever.

According to the latest Rumor Mill column at Baseball Prospectus, the Red Sox aren’t as close to trading for Johan Santana as we thought.  In addition, it’s unclear whether Jacoby Ellsbury or Coco Crisp is part of the deal but even without Ellsbury in there, it looks like the Red Sox are giving up two of their top prospects as well as Jon Lester.  All I can say is, at least the Yankees haven’t snuck in there and scooped up Santana yet.

The Red Sox brought back their third baseman as Mike Lowell has apparantly agreed to a three year deal worth somewhere in the high $30 million range.  Lowell had a huge season in 2007 and that carried over into the playoffs when he won the World Series MVP award.

It’s a solid move although you have to be concerned about Lowell’s age.  Throw in the fact that he’s had some pretty mediocre years and this deal could backfire but my guess is Lowell will be motivated to help the Red Sox get back to the postseason next year.

Dustin Pedoria got the first place vote on 24 of the 28 ballots cast as he walked away with the American League ROY.  Delmon Young came in second place and Brian Bannister checked in at third.  Still, it wasn’t much of a contest.  Pedroia hit .317 on the season, which is an all time best for a rookie second baseman.  Pedroia also got it done on the field and he made just six errors.

In all, three different Red Sox rookies picked up votes for ROY.  Dice-K finished with twelve points and Hideki Okajima finished in sixth place with three points.