Other Player News
Sox infielder Nick Green saw doctors in Boston today who told him the “dead leg” pain he’s been having recently is the result of a “disc issue” in his back – it may cost him the rest of ’09. Rookie pitcher Junichi Tazawa is out for the season now with a sore left groin strain. Utility infielder Chris Woodward will take his roster spot. Tazawa will end his short rookie campaign with a mediocre 7.46 ERA, but should take pride in his finest outing of the year, a six-inning shutout performance August 22 against the Yankees at Fenway.
End Of The Road (Trips) For Boston
Believe it or not, AL teams suck on the road this year, so much so that as of September 20, at 37-37, the Red Sox are tied with Texas (35-35) for the third-best road record in the league behind the Angels (45-33), then the Yankees (43-32). Boston hasn’t been over .500 on the road since August 4 but with seven road games left, four in Kansas City starting Monday night and three more in New York this weekend, it needs to win at least four of those games to guarantee a .500 road record for the season.
A still sore but much rested Tim Wakefield – who was originally supposed to pitch in Baltimore over the past weekend – faces ex-Sox lefty Lenny DiNardo Monday, and Cy Young candidate Zack Greinke will face and likely overmatch Paul Byrd Tuesday. The way Sox starters have pitched and Sox offense has hit lately, the team should find a way to win at least two or three games in KC and at least one in New York to get those four road wins.
If nothing else, the Sox – just as they did with the Angels last week – will get a preview of a possible playoff match-up with the Yankees. And believe it or not, the Sox and Yankees have not faced each other in postseason since the 2004 ALCS. Something to think about, I know.
Article comments
1 - Charlie D
Well that figures: Sox and KC pitching sucked last night in a soaking wet Kauffman Stadium, with Boston giving up 11 earned runs. Manny Delcarmen gave up four of them in relief. I wonder if he's gonna "Blame It On The Rain"?