August 10 – August 16

Wins – 4   Loss -3

If the playoffs were to start today, the Boston Red Sox would be watching them from home. For the first time in a long time, the Red Sox don’t hold the lead in either the AL East or the AL Wild Card. The Sox entered Texas this week with a 1/2 game lead over the Rangers and had a chance to pad the lead by the end of the weekend. They got off to a slow start, but after the ninth inning win on Friday night, I thought for sure they would carry the momentum throughout the weekend and at least take two of three. They did not. Instead they lost both games. Brad Penny didn’t really give them much of a chance on Saturday when they fell 7-2 and on Sunday they couldn’t get a key hit when they needed it losing 4-3. David Ortiz hit two home runs this weekend, but if you take away the ninth inning on Friday, the offense was again a non factor. Winning four out of every seven throughout the season will leave you with 92 wins at years end. Looking at that, it’s hard to complain too much about going 4-3 on the week. But at this point of the season, losing ground is unacceptable. Leave it to the Red Sox to get their only win of the series in a game where we were forced to have Clay Buchholz pinch run.

Who’s Hot

Jason Bay – .360 avg, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 6 Runs, .920 SLG %

J.D. Drew – .444 avg, .524 OBP, .611 SLG %

Mike Lowell – .350 avg, 3 HR, 5 RBI, .800 SLG %

Who’s Not

Dustin Pedroia – 5 / 23, .217 avg

Jason Varitek – 3 /16, 7 SO’s, .188 avg, 0 walks

Bullpen – 17.1 IP, 12 ER

Player of the Week

Jason Bay – .360 avg, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 6 Runs, .920 SLG %

Standings – AL East

New York 74 – 44  (Previously 6.5 games ahead)

Boston 66 – 51 – 7.5 GB (Previously 6.5 GB)

Tampa 63 – 54 – 10.5  GB (Previously 8 GB)

Standings – Wild Card

Texas 66 – 50 – (Previously 0 GB)

Boston 66 – 51 – 0.5 GB (Previously 0 GB)

Tampa 63 – 54 – 3.5 GB (Previously 1.5 GB)

Seattle 61 – 57  – 6 GB (Previously 4.5 GB)

Chicago 60 – 58 – 7 GB (Previously 6 GB)

Coming Up

@ Toronto – Tues – Thurs

New York – Fri – Sun

- Chris

August 3 – August 9

Wins – 0   Loss – 6

The dog days of summer have arrived. The rain that plagued us through June and July has tempered, and the sun has been shining for the better part of three weeks now. With this new found beautiful weather the Red Sox have lost any and all swagger they had gained earlier in the season when back in mid June they were five games ahead of the New York Yankees in the American League East. Since, they have sucked, and the Rays and Yanks have been pretty damn good. This past week, rock bottom, I hope. The Red Sox were bad in almost every aspect of the game. They couldn’t score runs, the bullpen blew leads, and other than Beckett and Lester, the starters have been brutal. Twice this weekend Tito went to the bullpen and brought in someone that I had never even heard of. Now, I am not saying that I know all, but I am one of the more informed members of this so called “Red Sox Nation.” So if you are throwing someone on the mound that I have never heard of or seen, you got issues. Don’t think I am taking anything away from the Yankees either. They played like a championship team. They played like I haven’t seen them play in about a decade. There were no flaws in anything they did. I still don’t think they are that good of a team, but right now, they are playing like the best team in baseball.

Who’s Hot

Jon Lester – 13 IP, 17 SO’s, 1.38 era

Josh Beckett – 7 IP, 7 SO’s, 0.00 era

Who’s Not

David Ortiz – 1/18, 3 BB, 4 SO’s, .056 avg

Jason Varitek – 1/19, 7 SO’s, .053 avg

Dan Bard – 3 G, 2 IP, 18.00 era

Player of the Week

Jon Lester

Standings – AL East

New York 69-42 (Previously 2.5 games ahead)

Boston 62-48 – 6.5 GB (Previously 2.5 GB)

Tampa 61-50 – 8 GB (Previously 6.5 GB)

Standings – Wild Card

Boston 62-48 -

Texas 62-48 -

Tampa 61-50 – 1.5 GB

Seattle 58-53 – 4.5 GB

Chicago 57-55 – 6 GB

Coming Up

Detroit – Mon – Thurs

@ Texas – Fri – Sat

- Chris

July 20 – July 26

Win – 2    Loss – 4

It was a tough week for the home town favorites winning only two out of six games. They were on a five game losing streak going into Friday night until Brad Penny shut down the Orioles and the Sox scrapped together three runs for a 3-1 victory. Lester continued his dominance on the mound into Saturday and the offense broke out for 7 runs including a 3 run HR from David Ortiz and a 2 run blast from new comer, Adam LaRoche. Sunday was a struggle though as John Smoltz came out and struck out four of the first six batters he faced but then imploded to give up 6 runs on 9 hits over five innings.

Who’s Hot

Mike Lowell – .357, 2 Runs, 1 RBI

Brad Penny – 6.1 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 4 K’s, 1 Win

Jon Lester – 7.1 IP, 2 ER, 9 K’s, 1 Win

Who’s Not

JD Drew – 3/20

Jed Lowrie – 1/11

John Smoltz – 2 Losses, 10.2 IP, 18 Hits, 12 ER

Player of the Week

Brad Penny – 6.1 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 4 K’s, 1 Win

Standings

New York   60 – 38 (Previously 1 GB Boston)

Boston   57 – 40 – 2.5 GB (Previously 1 game ahead of NYY)

Tampa   54 – 45 – 6.5 GB (Previously 4.5 GB of Boston)

Coming Up

Oakland – Mon – Thurs

@ Baltimore – Fri – Sun

- Chris

Every Monday we will make a most with an overview of the previous seven days results. Being a shortened week there have only been three games in the last week, but we will get started anyways.

July 13 – 20th

Wins – 1  Loss – 2

This past week saw the Red Sox take a series loss up in Toronto. Clay Buchholz got things started on the right foot pitching well Friday night leading to a 4-1 victory but the offense sputtered from there as Brad Penny was off on Saturday and the Sox were no match for Halladay on Sunday. Jed Lowrie made is return playing in one game going 1-4 with a HR and Jon Lester pitched OK on Sunday, but there was still only one win to be accounted for.

Who’s Hot

Daniel Bard   1.1 IP, 3 K’s, 0 ER

Dustin Pedroia   4 – 10

Kevin Youklis  4 – 11, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Who’s Not

Nick Green   0 – 7, 5 K’s

JD Drew   0 – 12, 4 K’s

Jason Bay 1 – 11, 5 K’s

Player of the Week

Clay Buchholz – 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 K’s

Standings

Boston 55-36

New York 54-37 – 1 GB

Tampa Bay 51 – 41 – 4.5 GB

Coming Up

@ Texas – Mon – Wed

Baltimore – Fri – Sun

- Chris