Jon Lester

Ever since the Boston Red Sox finally broke “The Curse” in 2004 (and won the World Series again in 2007), they are perennial favorites due to a good farm system and the ability to spend money. Heading into 2009, many felt the Red Sox had too much pitching due to the offseason acquisitions of Brad Penny and John Smoltz. However by late summer, the Red Sox were looking for more pitching. Smoltz was released with an 8.33 ERA and Penny was moved to the SF Giants. They signed free agent Paul Byrd in August and he struggled to a 5.82 ERA in 7 starts. Daisuke Matsuzaka spent a good portion of the season on the DL, as did knuckerballer Tim Wakefield, and Josh Beckett was inconsistent. The Red Sox relied on Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz to carry the load and promoted Japanese prospect Junichi Tazawa after just a half season in the minors.

The bullpen was a cast of characters that wasn’t as reliable as in years past. Closer Jonathan Papelbon was not as dominant, yet the Red Sox may have found themselves a setup man in hard-throwing rookie Daniel Bard. Hideki Okajima may be showing signs of tiring after years of overuse. Gone are swingman Justin Masterson, and late-inning relievers Takashi Saito and Billy Wagner.

Offensively, many of the stars were injured or unproductive. DH David Ortiz struggled mightily through the beginning of the season, but he began to pick up steam later in the year, though only to hit .238. Rightfielder JD Drew battled through injuries for another season, leading to the promotion of rookie Josh Reddick. Jason Varitek’s game has completely left him, leading to the trade for Victor Martinez. Shortstop was a concern all season as Jed Lowrie continued to suffer through a wrist injury and Nick Green produced offensively but made frequent errors, until the addition of Alex Gonzalez (though he signed with Toronto this offseason).  Enter new shortstop Marco Scutaro who has thrived with regular playing time after making a name for himself as a utility guy.

General manager Theo Epstein has been playing the waiting game with free agent outfielder Jason Bay and has not been as active as some of the other teams in the American League East (like the Yankees and Orioles). 2010 could be Terry Francona’s best year of managing if he can guide the Red Sox into the playoffs. Here’s their wish list:

1. 

   Jason Bay

   A leftfielder: Tops on the list would be to re-sign Jason Bay, then if not, maybe make a run at Matt Holliday. However neither seem eager to sign anytime soon. This offseason the Red Sox signed veteran Mike Cameron, who is a good defender but the Red Sox already have a great centerfielder in Jacoby Ellsbury. Will a move to left for Ellsbury create tension with the club? If JD Drew cannot play everyday, the Red Sox will still be short an outfielder, unless they sign a bench player or let rookie Josh Reddick fill that role (though some more seasoning in the minors would be best). Cameron may provide better defense than Bay, but his offense is not at the same level.

2. A big bat: If Bay does not sign, the Red Sox need a big bat. Outside of Victor Martinez, Dustin Pedroia, and Kevin Youkilis, the Red Sox have no idea what they will get out of the rest of the lineup. They do not have anyone that will hit 40 homeruns in a season. Rumors have them linked to San Diego Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, but a deal will probably cost them the farm system and Clay Buchholz. With the thumb injury to third baseman Mike Lowell (making him untradeable) the Red Sox are unsure of who will play third, first, and catch (can they afford to have Jason Varitek catch regularly with Youkilis at third and Martinez at first or will Kotchman play first, putting Martinez behind the plate?).
3. 

   John Lackey

   Starting pitching: The Red Sox learned last year that you can never have enough pitching. They went out and signed top free agent pitcher John Lackey and he will complement the pieces that are already there. However, there are question marks to the rotation. Can Dice-K stay healthy? Can Buchholz repeat the success he had in 2009? Can Beckett be consistent or is his workload catching up to him? Can Wakefield’s back make it through an entire season? Will they finally give prospect Michael Bowden a legitimate shot and is Junichi Tazawa ready? They traded for Minnesota Twins pitcher Boof Bonser, who was hurt for all of 2009, but gave up a possible young bullpen piece (Chris Province). Not sure where, or if, Bonser will fit into the pitching staff. I think the Red Sox need another starter. Rumors have them interested in Ben Sheets, who did not pitch at all in 2009, or they could use someone from the farm system.

4. Bullpen help: Outside of closer Jonathan Papelbon, righty Daniel Bard, and lefty Hideki Okajima, I’m not sure there are any guaranteed spots in the pen. And the above three had their struggles in 2009. Manny Delcarmen was left off the playoff roster and fell out of faith with the Red Sox Nation. Ramon Ramirez had a solid ERA, but blew 4 saves and gave up quite a few inherited runners. Rookie Dustin Richardson was effective in his three innings of work in September and followed a successful minor league season with a solid stint in the Arizona Fall League. The key to winning it all is to have a great and solid bullpen. As of right now, they do not.

Tags:

Boston Red Sox, Clay Buchholz, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Daniel Bard, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Hideki Okajima, Jason Bay, Jason Varitek, John Lackey, Jonathan Papelbon, Josh Beckett, Josh Reddick, Junichi Tazawa, Kevin Youkilis, Manny Delcarmen, Mike Cameron, Mike Lowell, Victor Martinez

The future for the Red Sox at shortstop could be great if the scouting reports on two young prospects are correct. With the Red Sox declining Alex Gonzalez’ option for 2010, whoever plays shortstop (Jed Lowrie, Gonzalez, or someone else) in 2010 could just be keeping the job warm for one of the youngsters.

After signing international free agent Jose Iglesias in July for over $8 million, many in Red Sox Nation want him in the majors now. However Iglesias is just 19 years old and a shortstop learning the US game (he defected from Cuba). In the Rising Stars game in the AFL, he looked overmatched, striking out twice (though it was only 2 at-bats and hardly an indication of his talent or future). He is considered to be flashy at shortstop and is considered big league ready defensively, though his offense lags behind. The AFL is Iglesias’ first experience in professional baseball and he is handling the bat pretty well overall (.286, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 3 SB), even though he had not played in over a year. He also drove in five runs in a game in the AFL. The Red Sox director of player development Mike Hazen stated in an interview with Joe McDonald that “He’s a fun player to watch with a lot of energy. He has a clear passion for the game…”

Casey Kelly pitching for Greenville

The Red Sox will need to have a discussion with their other young shortstop, to try and decide his future: as either a shortstop or a pitcher. The Red Sox allowed Casey Kelly to split 2009: the first half as a pitcher and the second half as a shortstop which has continued in the AFL. The first round pick in 2008 was wooed away from the University of Tennessee to play quarterback so long as the Red Sox allowed him to pitch and play shortstop. Kelly said that he has followed his heart with his decision to play baseball instead of going to college to play football and will continue to follow his heart when making this decision too. Many believe he could be a Roy Hallady-type pitcher, the same pitcher he was almost traded for. In the AFL, Kelly has played in just 7 games, hitting .240 with 4 RBIs and 5 walks.

The Red Sox have a few bullpen options coming through the organization (besides Richardson) participating in the AFL. Chris Province began his career as a starter in the Red Sox organization, but moved to the bullpen in 2009. The 4th round draft pick in 2007 out of Southeastern Louisiana University, Province was great at Double-A Portland in 43 games. As an Eastern League All-Star, Province was 2-4 with a 2.60 ERA and 55 strikeouts. In the AFL, he has been just as good, posting a 2.79 ERA in 8 games with 2 saves, 8 strikeouts, and no homeruns allowed.

Richie Lentz seemed to be on the fast track to Boston after progressing well in 2008. However the 19th round pick in 2006 out of the University of Washington regressed in 2009 after repeating Double-A Portland. In 29 games, he had a 6.75 ERA with 33 walks and 48 strikeouts. The command issues Lentz had battled throughout his career came out in full force. The AFL season has brought better results for Lentz as he is 1-0 with a 1.98 ERA in 9 games. Opponents are hitting just .200 against him and have 13 strikeouts to just 2 walks. Lentz draws incentive from his friend and former college teammate Tim Lincecum because he wants to go as far as he can in baseball. Everything that went wrong with Lentz in 2009 has mainly been mental and as he stated in an interview with Boston Baseball “…I just want to make sure that I keep my head on my shoulders and the little man off.” If Lentz can recover from his terrible 2009 season, he should be back on the fast track and could be part of the Boston bullpen by the end of 2010.

Ryan Kalish batting with Portland

In 2009 for outfielder Ryan Kalish, he got back to just being aggressive at the plate. He hit .279 with 24 doubles, 6 triples, and 18 homeruns in 135 games. Kalish also had 77 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, and 68 walks. Completely over his wrist injury, he has his power stroke back to go with his other well-rounded tools. He has progressed with the mental game, like relaxing and letting the game come to him. Despite the fact that Kalish is expected to be at the top of the 2010 prospect rankings, this outfielder is playing the game for himself, not anyone else, and is looking at being a prospect as a blessing. As a 9th round pick in 2006, he keeps things simple. Teammates call him a caveman because he doesn’t pay attention to stats or analyze stuff. In the offseason, he is going to work on getting stronger and faster. In the AFL, Kalish is hitting .288 in 17 games with 14 RBIs. He is also hitting .450 with 14 RBIs with runners in scoring position. In an interview with Baseball Prospectus, Kalish stated “In the end, the baseball gods will reward the people that play the game right. You’re hustling balls out for the team, and you have the right mental approach where it’s not all about yourself. The game tends to reward people…” Kalish has the right attitude for an up-and-coming player and look to see him in Boston roaming the Fenway Park outfield in the near future.

Tags:

Arizona Fall League, Boston Red Sox, Casey Kelly, Chris Province, Jose Iglesias, Richie Lentz, Ryan Kalish

The Boston Red Sox have an organization filled with possible major league talent. Having the Futures at Fenway doubleheaders in August at Fenway Park gave Red Sox Nation an opportunity to see the prospects of the organization in the big league ballpark. A few of those players are participating in the Arizona Fall League for the Mesa Solar Sox.

Dustin Richardson pitching for Pawtucket

The first, Dustin Richardson, made his major league debut on September 28th after a whirlwind season starting in Double-A Portland, where he was named as an Eastern League All-Star, to Triple-A Pawtucket, and then to Ft. Myers to prepare for a possible call up. The 6’5 lefty that was drafted in the 5th round of the 2006 draft out of Texas Tech, made his debut on the same day he arrived in Boston when manager Terry Francona called on him with 2 outs and 2 men on base to face the Toronto Blue Jays All-Star second baseman Aaron Hill (and he did not allow a run). He admitted to reporters after the game that “It took me until about the third inning to finally realize I was a baseball player again…I just wanted to hit the fast-forward button and get out there and get it over with…” In 3 games in the majors, Richardson pitched 3.1 innings without allowing a run. Since moving to the bullpen, Richardson has been successful. In 2009 with Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket, he was 2-2 with a 2.55 ERA in 45 games with 96 strikeouts. The only lefty with a spot in the Red Sox bullpen in 2010 is Hideki Okajima and Richardson’s performance in the AFL could make him a front-runner to join hard-throwing rookie Daniel Bard in the back end of the bullpen in 2010. So far, Richardson has struggled a bit in the AFL, going 0-1 with a 6.52 ERA in 9 games, though he has 14 strikeouts. Four of the seven runs he has allowed came on a game-ending grand slam.

Randor Bierd, who was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles for David Pauley in January of 2008, spent the entire 2009 season in Triple-A Pawtucket. His numbers were okay, going 3-1 in 25 games (7 starts) with a 4.55 ERA. In the AFL, Bierd has been starting, and although opponents are only hitting .228 against him, he has allowed 10 walks and holds a 5.40 ERA in 6 starts. He started out well in his first 3 starts in the AFL, but has struggled as of late. Bierd could be given an opportunity to start for the Red Sox in 2010 or provide middle-relief out of the bullpen.

With the acquisition of catcher Victor Martinez, the Red Sox have some time to wait for their catchers to develop. With George Kottaras, Dusty Brown, Mark Wagner, and John Otness at the upper levels, Luis Exposito will be given the opportunity to mature and develop his game-calling and leadership. As a draft-and-follow in 2006 out of St. Petersburg Junior College, he attracted the Red Sox with his defensive ability though he has also added power potential. While splitting 2009 between Single-A Salem and Double-A Portland, he hit .287 in 99 games, with 29 doubles, 9 homeruns, and 57 RBIs. Exposito will probably begin the 2010 season starting in Portland, but with a good showing in the AFL (he his hitting .282 in 11 games) and spring training, he could move quickly. 2011 could be the year he starts in Boston.

Tags:

Arizona Fall League, Boston Red Sox, Dustin Richardson, Luis Exposito, Randor Bierd

Yankees 4, Twins 3 (in 11):

On Matt Tolbert’s base hit to right field, the Twins were set to take a 1-0 lead in the 4^th innings as Delmon Young was coming around to score. However Nick Swisher’s throw went to second base where Carlos Gomez was caught off the base before Young scored…inning over, 0-0 game. With the Twins on the brink of splitting the series and sending it back to the Metrodome, closer Joe Nathan came in to seal the 3-1 victory. However, Alex Rodriguez, who is no longer in a career postseason slump, hit a game-tying 2-run homer to send the game to extra innings. The Twins had their chances to score throughout the game, but none were bigger than the top of the 11^th. With the bases loaded and no one out, Yankees reliever Dave Robertson got a first pitch line drive out from Young, a first pitch groundout from Gomez, and a fly ball out from Brendan Harris (who up until the A-Rod homer was in line for player of the game) without allowing a runner to score. In the bottom of the 11^th, Mark Teixeira made sure the game didn’t go any further by hitting a line drive homerun into the left field corner to leadoff the inning and send Yankees fans home happy. The Twins head home to stave off elimination down 0-2.

Angels 4, Red Sox 1:

A pitcher’s duel was expected when the pitching matchups were released and Boston Red Sox’s Josh Beckett and LA’s Jered Weaver did not disappoint. However, in the 7^th inning, the Angels brought the speed (2 stolen bases) and the bottom of the order chased Beckett from the game with a three run inning. The inning was capped by Maicer Izturis’ 2-out RBI single (career .327 hitter with runners in scoring position) and Erick Aybar’s 2-out, 2-run triple. Weaver was untouchable going into the 8^th inning by striking out his last hitter (his 7^th strikeout), before giving way to the bullpen. Weaver went 7.1 innings, giving up just 2 hits. The Angels, who are always asked about the Red Sox dominance over them in the playoffs, have a commanding 2-0 series lead heading to Boston. The Red Sox mighty offense has been held in check, getting just 8 hits in 18 innings against the Angels pitching staff.

Preview of Game 3’s:

The Philadelphia Phillies head to Colorado and the frozen tundra temperatures at Coors Field with the series tied at 1-1. Game time temperature is expected to be around 30 degrees with a possibility for snow. Some expect a possible postponement if the weather is not acceptable. Players just want to play, cold weather or not, especially the Phillies Matt Stairs, who is from Canada. The starting pitchers are the Rockies Jason Hammel, who is making his first playoff appearance versus the Phillies Pedro Martinez, the playoff veteran.

The Dodgers head to St. Louis looking to sweep the divisional series. They send Vicente Padilla to the mound up against Joel Pineiro. How the Cardinals rebound from the shocking loss in game 2 will determine the winner of this series.

Tags:

Alex Rodriguez, Boston Red Sox, Brendan Harris, Carlos Gomez, Dave Robertson, Divisional Series Recap Day 3, Joe Nathan, Joel Pineiro, Josh Beckett, Maicer Izturis, Matt Stairs, Matt Tolbert, Metrodome, Nick Swisher

It always seems that the LA Angels and the Boston Red Sox are playing each other in the American League Divisional Series (3 out of the past 5). The Red Sox have been coming out on top and heading to the league championship series, despite the Angels dominance in the regular season.

The Angels have faced adversity all season long with the death of rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart and all of the injuries to its pitching staff, so facing the Red Sox is nothing different. The Red Sox have five players with 20+ homeruns (Jason Bay, David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, JD Drew, and Victor Martinez), “Big Papi” is staging a comeback (.258, 16 HR, 52 RBI after the All-Star break), and the Red Sox hitters are extremely patient.

They also have Jacoby Ellsbury at the top of the order who reeks havoc whenever he’s on the bases (70 SB). The Angels were second in the AL in runs scored, have their own speedster at the top of the order (Chone Figgins and his 42 stolen bases), and are just as patient 1-9 as the Red Sox. Their patience comes from offseason acquisition Bobby Abreu, one of the most patient hitters in the game and the team’s MVP.

The game-changing matchup of the series could be Los Angeles Dodgers lefty closer Brian Fuentes versus Red Sox lefty DH David Ortiz. Fuentes pitched in 19 innings against lefties, only giving up 2 runs on 17 hits. Fuentes isn’t intimidating as a closer and this matchup could make or break the series for the Angels. Ortiz is only hitting .212 against lefties this season with just 6 HR.

Game 1: John Lackey vs. Jon Lester
Game 2: Jered Weaver vs. Josh Beckett
Game 3: Scott Kazmir @ Clay Buchholz
Game 4: Joe Saunders @ Daisuke Matsuzaka

Angels Strengths:

*The offense 1-9: At one point late in the season, manager Mike Scioscia’s lineup boasted nine hitters all hitting .300 or better. Yes, some of those hitters have dropped below .300, but you can see why the Angels were second in the AL in runs scored (8 everyday hitters were hitting .290 or better at the end of the season). It starts at the top with the speed of Figgins and continues on through to the speed of Erick Aybar in the 9-hole. In between are patient hitters (except for the free-swinging Vladimir Guerrero) who can all drive the ball and produce run-scoring hits.

*Speed: Like I mentioned, the Angels have speed both in the leadoff spot and in the 9th spot with both Figgins and Aybar. Maicer Izturis, who normally bats in the 7th spot, can also run. The unexpected speed comes from veterans Bobby Abreu (30 SB) and Torii Hunter (18 SB). Since the Red Sox have such a hard time holding runners on and throwing attempting stealers out, the Angels could be off to the races.

*The rotation: Early in the season, the rotation was a big question mark. However, as the season has progressed, it has become a strong point. With the acquisition of Scott Kazmir from the Tampa Bay Rays and the healthy returns of John Lackey and Joe Saunders, they have bolstered around the already dominating Jered Weaver. Scioscia will be expecting a lot of innings out of these four workhorses.

*An “Angel” in heaven: In 2002, the Angels had the Rally Monkey. This year, they have the memory of Nick Adenhart. Many would say that what this team has overcome at the start of the season, they would be destined to win it all for Nick.

Angels Weaknesses:

*The bullpen: Closer Brian Fuentes ended the season with 48 saves, but with a record of 1-5 and an ERA of 3.93, he is hardly dominating. Fuentes pitched very well down the stretch, expect for a loss at Boston on 9/16. Jose Arredondo has not been able to duplicate his 2008 season (and may not make the playoff roster), thus the Angels have relied on Kevin Jepsen to set-up. Veteran Darren Oliver has been the steadying force in the Angels bullpen posting a 5-1 record with a 2.74 ERA. He also led the Angels bullpen in innings (69). The bullpen will have to be successful early, so as to not put all the pressure on the starters.

*Postseason failures against the Red Sox: 3 out of the past 5 divisional series the Angels have played the Red Sox. In 2004 and 2007, the Angels were swept by the Red Sox. Last year, the Angels lost in 4 games. The Angels will have to overcome all the past demons to make it past the Red Sox and into the championship series.

Key Players:

*Maicer Izturis and Erick Aybar: Izturis and Aybar are probably the most underrated double-play combination in the big leagues. Both are quick, athletic, have strong arms, and are switch-hitters. Izturis has become more than just a sure defender at second base; his career average with runners in scoring position heading into the last weekend series was .327. Aybar got hot at the end of the season, raising his average to .312, while having a .328 average after the All-Star break. In the late innings, Aybar is hitting well over .300.

Red Sox Strengths:

*Big Papi: Last postseason, Big Papi disappointed and carried that into the 2009 season. However, he has been huge for the Boston Red Sox since the weather started to heat up in June. Big Papi has the ability to change a game with one swing of the bat and no matter how much he is struggling; he is the one guy no one wants to get beaten by.

*Beckett’s playoff experience: Josh Beckett was the World Series MVP in 2003 while carrying the Florida Marlins to an unexpected World Series title over the Yankees. He was also the ALCS MVP in 2007, leading the Red Sox into the World Series. The Red Sox need Beckett to pitch better than he has of late and be the playoff competitor he has been in the past.

*The offense: The Red Sox offense rivals the Yankees and Phillies in that 1-9 can hit the ball out of the ballpark (1-8 for the Phillies). The Red Sox bolstered their lineup by adding catcher Victor Martinez at the trading deadline. He provides yet another run-producing threat to a middle of the order that includes, Big Papi, Youkilis, Lowell, Bay, and Drew. The Red Sox were 3rd in the AL in runs scored and homeruns, and 4th in batting average.

*The rotation: Until the end of the season, the rotation was a major strength. Jon Lester was dominant, as was Beckett, and Buchholz was pitching the way many had predicted. Matsuzaka came back and pitched excellent. However, Beckett missed a start with back spasms and Buchholz imploded in his final 2 starts. If the top three can pitch the way they had when they were dominating, this series could be pitchers’ duels.

Red Sox Weaknesses:

*Throwing out runners: This has been a problem for the Red Sox in the past and has only gotten worse this season. Captain Jason Varitek only threw out around 8% of base stealers, while new addition Martinez only threw out around 11% after joining the Red Sox. You can’t blame it all on the catchers if the pitchers aren’t doing their job of holding runners on, but if they want to beat the Angels, they’ll all have to do a better job. During the regular season, the Angels were successful in 15 of 17 stolen base attempts.

*Getting the ball to Papelbon: Closer Jonathon Papelbon is one of the best closers in the game, but this isn’t the Red Sox teams of the past where they had a consistent stream of relievers who were reliable about getting the lead to Papelbon. Manager Terry Francona has been handing the ball over to rookie reliever Daniel Bard. Billy Wagner has been good since coming over in a waiver claim from the Mets, but the rest have been inconsistent (Ramon Ramirez, Hideki Okajima, and Takashi Saito). Paul Byrd will be the long-man out of the bullpen and his numbers have been up and down since coming out of retirement.

*Back of the rotation: Tim Wakefield is out due to his lingering back and leg problems. Paul Byrd will be coming out of the bullpen. That leaves Dice-K as the 4th starter. During the first-half of the season, Dice-K was awful. Since coming back from the DL, he has been great, giving up 3 runs in a start just once. It has been a tale of two seasons. However, he only made 4 starts at the end of the year after being out since the middle of June.

Key Players:

*Daniel Bard: The Red Sox have had problems getting the lead to closer Jonathon Papelbon. Since manager Terry Francona has trusted Bard with the 8th inning, things have gone smoother. The hard-throwing rookie can regularly touch 100 mph and could become a household name this postseason. However, his wildness will determine how long Francona will leave him in before going to Papelbon for more than 3 outs. Down the stretch, Bard has struggled, giving up 4 runs in just 6.2 innings with 4 walks and 6 Ks. Francona will rely on the 6’4 righty from the University of North Carolina with the game on the line.

*Rocco Baldelli: (if he’s healthy and on the roster) Baldelli has been playing most of the season against left-handed pitching. With lefties Kazmir (his former teammate) and Saunders scheduled to pitch games 3 and 4, Baldelli could have a huge impact. Baldelli hit .290 against lefties, with 4 HR and 15 RBI.

Tags:

American League, Boston Red Sox, David Ortiz, Erick Aybar, Jason Bay, JD Drew, Kevin Youkilis, Maicer Izturis, Nick Adenhart