Blue Jays @ Red Sox Preview

Things aren't going well for the Red Sox. They re losing guys left and right, and are losing games. One could blame the injuries, and it certainly isn't helping, but more than that they are playing really sloppy baseball.

Yet, I think this series against the Blue Jays is going to go really well. Toronto sucks, they spent a ton of money on a bunch of guys that can't stay on the field and are paying for it. Tonight we get Ramon Ortiz (hahahaha), vs Jon Lester.

Lester started out really hot, but has cooled off over his last two starts letting up 8 runs. That being said he is still 4-0 and has an ERA of 3.30, so bitching needs to be kept to a minimum. What does have to worry you is that the last time Lester played the Blue Jays at home he let up 11 runs.

Ortiz is 1-2 with a 5.58 ERA in five career starts at Fenway, he is pitching tonight because Morrow has a stiff neck and had his start pushed back.

Red Sox win 11-4
Player of the Game: Ortiz
Game starts at 7:10pm

David Ortiz Is Pissed At Shank

Dan Shaughnessy basically accused David Ortiz of taking steroids the other day and since then he lost his hit streak and went 0 fer yesterday. I hope your happy Dan, you ruined David Ortiz. He was having the greatest year of his career and you have to shit in the apple pie and accuse a Boston legend to steroids screwing up his whole mind. Who the fuck do you think you are. Just another dick move in the long life of Dan. Ortiz obviously isn't on steroids and all the other steroid shit is speculative at best. Much like KG and Pierce and their potential last run with the Celtics, we should be enjoying what Ortiz will and has done for the Red Sox over the next 2 years, he's the closest thing to infallible to me in Boston sports right now. He doesn't need your shit Dan, he just needs you to go and try to create headlines by saying obnoxious things about the Celtics or Patriots. Stay away from Papi you jerk.

Twins @ Red Sox Preview

The Twins suck. They really do. There isn't much I like about their team, I hate the way they wait forever for their prospects to get to the majors, I'm sick of their endless supply of shitty pitchers.

Sorry, it's just I used to kind of like/respect the Twins and I just don't anymore.

A guy I am gaining respect for is Ryan Dempster. I'll be honest when the Red Sox got him I was not excited at all. He got lit up in the AL last year, he isn't young, and really there was just not much to think he was anything better than a 4/5 starter. Yet, he really has settled in nicely in the middle of the Red Sox rotation. Sure, he is no #1 starter, but he is right where he should be, a #3. Dempster is 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA, and has 47 Ks in 36 innings. He has allowed two or fewer earned runs in four of his last five starts. He hasn't been good against the Twins in his career (2-1 6.16 ERA), but was 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA against them last year.

Going against him Scott Diamond. He has had a nice start to the season (2-2 with a 3.97 ERA), but he is yet another shitty Twins pitcher. The Red Sox should light him up, and Dempster should be able to easily control this crappy Twins lineup.

Red Sox win 12-3
Player of the Game: Dempster/Pedroia
Game starts at 7:10pm

Who Is The Red Sox Closer?

Bailey is on the DL, and Hanrahan had to leave the game last night, so there is a serious question about who will be the Red Sox closer until one of those guys return. Most people think it'll be Koji Uehara, which I'm fine with. He has been playing well, and I like the way he is always way overexcited. 

Yet, I have a feeling I agree with DP here that I would rather see Tazawa. It's not that I don't think Uehara can do it, because I think he can, it's more about changing roles on a team. I like Uehara in that 7th/8th inning spot, and Tazawa has done nothing wrong over the last two year to make me think he can't handle thing. 

Going forward is going to be really interesting for the Red Sox. I like Bailey a lot, but he never stays healthy. It's hard to be impressed by anything Hanrahan has done. Even if Tazawa or Uehara take over the closer role and do well the Red Sox are going to have some bullpen problems if Bailey and Hanrahan can't be healthy and effective. Going into the season I thought the Sox bullpen was actually the strongest part of their team, now it looks like it could be the one part they made need to improve through trade.

I say trade because there doesn't seem to be a ton of internal options if these guys end up not being able to stay on the field. Bard seems to be a lost cause. I guess if the season was coming to a close you could call up young starter and have them do it, but they have all been doing well and I don't want to fuck with their progress. I hate flip flopping starters to relief roles, way to many cautionary tales to go down that road again.

6 Sox, 5 Twins

Stephen Drew saved the day last night where he hit an RBI double in the bottom of the 11th to cap off his best day as a Red Sox, by going 4-5 with 3 RBIs.

Joel Hanrahan had his chance to win his job back and to win the game, except he gave up a HR to Brian Dozier. And if that wasn't awesome enough, he seemed to tweak his elbow and not even finish the inning. Thankfully Clayton Mortensen came through huge, picking up where Hanrahan left off and went 2 1/3 innings of shutout ball. Looks like with Bailey on the DL and Hanrahan blowing, my prediction of Tazawa becoming the closer. Which he should, he's our best reliever.

Clay had his worst outing of the year, four runs over six innings. He did get nine strikeouts though and his ERA is still a ridiculous 1.60 on the year.

Victorino hit his first home run, and Napoli had an RBI and Ortiz extended his hitting streak to 26.

Red Sox @ Blue Jays Preview

Lester was a letdown last night, but tonight the Red Sox have Buchholz on the hill and he has been one of the best pitchers in baseball. He is currently 5-0 with a 1.19 ERA. He has also been very good against the Blue Jays in his career going 8-4 with a 2.60 ERA.

Going against Buchholz is one of my favorite pitchers in the MLB, Mark Buehrle. He is 6-8 with a 4.64 ERA lifetime versus Boston, but has been pretty terrible this year going 1-1 with a 6.25 ERA.

Everyone is wondering if Ortiz can keep up his incredible pace. Since coming off the DL nine games ago, Ortiz has 18 hits in 36 at-bats, and is 22 for 61 (.361) with three homers and eight doubles against Buehrle.

Red Sox win 9-3
Player of the Game: Buchholz
Game starts at 7:07pm