And what about Pedroia? Well, he doesn’t have much power this year but just happens to be one of MLB’s hottest hitters going into the break and one of the best in the AL with RISP (.386 average). And defensively, he is one of the quickest second baseman out there in getting up to throw out runners after making diving stops. Of course, being small may have a lot to do with it, but a strong, accurate arm helps as well, which Pedroia clearly has. His quickness on the base paths should not be underestimated either, with 20 stolen bags in 2008 and 14 bases taken so far in ’09, to go with 65 runs scored (third in MLB).
The sneaky Pedroia, Jason Bay, and super speedster Jacoby Ellsbury (40 stolen bases, second in MLB), are the main reasons the Sox are dangerous on the basepaths in ways they haven’t been in decades. Boston is on pace to steal at least 100 bags this year, a feat the team rarely accomplishes.
On the bullpen side, Papelbon has had more control problems in ’09 than in previous years, but has finished the job when needed most of the time, saving 23 games in 25 chances. Righty Ramon Ramirez has had some recent struggles but mostly dominated in late innings in ’09 the way lefty Hideki Okajima did in 2007 and much of 2008. He has taken over for the retired Mike Timlin in his role magnificently.
Manny Delcarmen (ERA 2.41), who has yet to give up a HR in ’09, is another bright spot, as is reliever Daniel Bard, a young gun who wasn’t expected to kick off his big league career so soon but has been impressive so far (ERA 2.55) in his 24.2 innings, the last 7.1 of which he has given up no runs and K’d 13. This included his relief outing last Saturday, which effectively sealed John Smoltz’s first win in a Sox uniform in a wild 15-9 game vs. KC.
And of course, starters Jon Lester and Josh Beckett have been pitching like aces, while Brad Penny and Tim Wakefield have become reliable and consistent at the rotation’s backend, especially Wakefield, who has only given up seven more earned runs –- or one really bad game -– than Beckett, who (along with Lester) is one of the hottest pitchers in the AL over the last two months. These two all-stars are tied for the AL lead in wins (11), with Beckett earning his last win Sunday in one of his career-best regular season outings, a three-hit shutout vs. KC, which was also his 100th career victory.
Article comments
1 - Tony
I can't think of another team than can field an entire starting lineup and starting pitching rotation of caucasion players (besides Ortiz).
Jason catching, Kevin at first, Dustin at second, Nick at short, Mike at third, and Jacoby, Jason, and J.D. in the outfield. Oh and of course the two Tims, Josh, Brad, and Jonathan pitching. Sounds like the lineup for a large boy band,
No Asians, Latino, or African Americans in the bunch (again except Ortiz and the middle relief). I wonder what the anaylsis on that is because its pretty rare in this day and age. Kind of fits Boston, but still rare.
2 - Tony
Didn't mean the two Tims, that's the two John's, Lester and Smoltz. And I almost forgot Taylor; can't have a goog boy band without a Taylor.
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
Jacoby Ellsbury: Native American
Kevin Youkilis: Jewish
Mike Lowell: Puerto Rican
Daisuke Matsuzaka: Japanese
So, the minorities get hurt and/or are "white enough" to overlook. Kind of a red herring thing to say.
Would you like them to still have Coco Crisp in center? Or Julio Lugo as their shortstop?
The 2009 Red Sox: Worse But Diverse!
4 - charlie
Hey Matt, (of course I'm joking but ) this may be Ken Rosenthal just posing as some guy named "Tony." His (wrong) assessment of the Sox fits right in with Ken's during the '08 playoffs.
5 - Tony
It was a joke. Didn't know Lowell was Puerto Rican though, you learn something new every day. Youk being Jewish hardly counts though. And Matsuzaka isn't even really on the team anymore.
6 - charlie
Tony, you're not joking (except for the boy band bs). And you did what Rosenthal did last October - take a snapshot in time of the Red Sox instead of looking at the WHOLE roster of players (including those on the DL) to determine how more or less diverse the Sox are.
I bet you didn't know Nick Green was Jewish (but that doesn't count, right?) And as far as Dice-K goes, he's very much a member of the Red Sox due to his long-term big contract. I don't know what's going to happen with the back of the rotation once he comes back (likely in late August), but he will be back pitching for the Sox this year.
So between Green, Youk, Lowell, Dice-K, Okajima, Manny Delcarmen, Lugo (until last week), Javier Lopez (until he cut released), Takashi Saito, Ellsbury, Ramon Ramirez and Ortiz, I'd say the 2009 Sox have a VERY ethnically diverse ball club.