Red Sox 6, Orioles 5

Starting tonight, the Red Sox will play 15 of their next 19 games on the road, 13 of them (7 away, 4 home) against playoff contenders, a stretch that will go a long way towards determining their fate in 2009. Tonight, they started that stretch off on the right foot, beating Baltimore 6-5 despite another poor performance from John Smoltz. Smoltz gave up 5 runs in 6 innings of work, bringing his ERA to 7.12. Despite that, he got the win to improve to 2-4. Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, and Jacoby Ellsbury homered for the Sox who picked up a game on the Yankees who lost 10-5 to the White Sox.


Next Game: Saturday, 7:05 @ Baltimore

Sox Acquire Victor Martinez, Casey Kotchman

The Red Sox made a major move on trade deadline day by acquiring Cleveland Indians C/1B/DH Victor Martinez for Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone, and Bryan Price. Martinez is one of the league's best hitting catchers, so he should play nearly every day, giving the Red Sox the big offensive boost they craved. Expect Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek to get their playing time, with Youkilis playing third when Lowell sits. David Ortiz could also see his playing time cut a bit, especially against lefties (Martinez is a switch hitter). Masterson is a quality pitcher, but considering the Indians long desired Clay Buchholz, this was a steal, as Boston was able to keep both Buchholz and Daniel Bard. Hagadone and Price are both in the low minors. Of the two, Hagadone has the most promise, although the lefty is still recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Once the Sox landed Martinez, it seemed that they no longer needed Adam LaRoche. So, it was no surprise when they dealt him to the Atlanta Braves. What was a surprise is that they received Braves 1B Casey Kotchman in return, creating an even bigger logjam for the Red Sox. The 26 year old Kotchman is hitting .282 with 6 HR so far this season. He lacks LaRoche's power, but he is very good defensively. He started for Atlanta, but he'll be a left-handed pinch hitter and defensive replacement for Boston. This trade has many Red Sox fans baffled, but it makes more sense once you think about it. Boston could afford to sacrifice LaRoche's power once they had Victor Martinez. Also, Kotchman has a very affordable contract that runs through 2011, while LaRoche will be a free agent at the end of this season.

UPDATE: Sox, Padres Discussing Adrian Gonzalez

The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo is reporting that the the Red Sox and Padres were discussing a possible trade for Adrian Gonzalez late into the night, talks which will continue tomorrow. Cafardo says that the names Clay Buchholz, Lars Anderson, Jed Lowrie, Justin Masterson, and Ryan Westmoreland were discussed. Gonzalez would provide the Red Sox with a very big bat in the middle of the lineup, but the Padres are asking for quite a lot. They have said all along that any team looking to land Gonzalez would have to overpay considerably. That probably means 3 or 4 of the names from that list, one of which almost certainly would be Clay Buchholz. Still, trading prospects for a young, talented slugger like Gonzalez makes more sense than trading them for Roy Halladay, considering the pitching depth and lack of offense the Red Sox have in their organization. If the Sox do aquire him, Adam LaRoche would likely be the odd man out because Gonzalez is a first baseman. There would still be a logjam between Gonzalez, Youkilis, Lowell, and Ortiz for three spots (1B, 3B, DH). Look for Gonzalez and Youkilis to get the most playing time from that bunch. LaRoche would likely be traded, probably in a separate deal.
Chance the Sox aquire Gonzalez: 40%

Ortiz, Manny Tested Positive in 2003

Slugger. Clutch Hitter. Yankee killer. Role model. Fan favorite. All-Star. Two-time World Series Champion. And now cheater. The New York Times reported today that Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was on the list of 104 major leaguers who tested positive for performance enhancing drugs in 2003. Manny Ramirez was named as well, but that comes as much less of a surprise. Ortiz, though, is different. He led us to believe that he was unique. He was not like Bonds, Clemens, Giambi, or A-Rod. He denounced those who took steroids and gave us so many dramatic moments and come-from-behind wins that it seemed almost magical because it was genuine, not tainted. Time after time, when the Red Sox had their backs to the wall and desperately needed a hit, Ortiz gave us hope. Here was someone we could always count on, someone we could believe in. All that is gone now. David Ortiz has irreparably tarnished his legacy as well as the cherished memories of millions of fans, young and old. And for Red Sox fans, that is what hurts the most.

Trade Rumor Updates

Roy Halladay - The frontrunners to land Halladay were the Phillies, but they just dealt for Cliff Lee, so they are now out of the picture. Reports continue to swirl that Boston has offered Clay Buchholz as part of a package of prospects, but trade talks between the Sox and Jays do not seem to have much momentum. The Yankees are still unnervingly quiet and there are whispers that they are in on Halladay. Most insiders seem to agree that Toronto would require both Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes in any deal, a price New York would not likely be willing to pay. Tom Verducci is now reporting that Toronto may not trade Halladay at all, a scenario which would leave Blue Jays' GM J.P. Riccardi looking rather inept.
Chance Sox will deal for Halladay: 7%

Cliff Lee - Lee was dealt to Philadelphia, ending any pursuit by Boston.
Chance Sox will deal for Lee: 0%

Victor Martinez - By trading Lee, Cleveland has entered another rebuilding period, so hanging onto Martinez would make little sense when they could swap him for pieces that could help them contend in 2010 or 2011. Look for Cleveland to deal him by Friday's deadline. Tom Verducci thinks the Red Sox are the "most aggressive" team pursuing a deal. The Rays are rumored to be involved as well, but as they continue to slide further out of the playoff picture their interest should wane. Cleveland wants a top pitching prospect, which would mean Clay Buchholz, a price the Red Sox almost certainly will not meet. Unless interest in Martinez spikes soon, Cleveland may be forced to lower its asking price, making a deal more likely.
Chance Sox will deal for Martinez - 40%

Sox Lose to A's Again 8-6, Fall 3.5 Back

Blame Brad Penny for this one. He allowed 7 runs in 5+ innings of work and took the loss. The very first pitch he threw was tagged for a homer. He threw 37 pitches in the first inning alone, giving up 5 runs. He almost escaped with 2, as he had Rajai Davis down in the count 1-2 with 2 outs and the bases loaded. Davis then doubled off the wall, clearing the bases. That ended up making all the difference in the world, as Mike Lowell (2 for 3, 5 RBI) hit a 3 run homer in the bottom of the inning which could have put them on ton 3-2. Instead the Sox had to play from behind all night. Down 3 in the bottom of the ninth, Boston plated one run thanks to an RBI single by Mike Lowell, but neither Kevin Youkilis, Jason Bay, nor J.D. Drew could deliver a big hit as the Sox lost 8-6.


Next Game: Thursday, 1:35 vs. Oakland

Trades, Anyone?

It's no secret that Theo Epstein would love to add another bat before Friday's 4:00pm trading deadline, but will he be able to find one without overpaying? A month ago it appeared that the Red Sox had too many starting pitchers. Now injury has claimed two of them, leaving the back end of the Red Sox rotation in the hands of a struggling 42 year old and a talented but unproven youngster. It appears unlikely that Boston will be able to deal Brad Penny as many expected. Some are even clamoring for the Sox to add a big name starter. The bullpen has been very good this year (aside from a few rough spells), so good in fact that the Red Sox many be able to deal away a reliever. So what could happen between now and 4:00pm on Friday? Let's look at a few options.

Roy Halladay, SP Toronto Blue Jays - Halladay is on of the best starters in baseball, but the price tag here is enormous and it will be even larger for Boston because Toronto would understandably be reluctant to trade Halladay within the division. Still, Toronto GM J.P. Riccardi has to deal him by Friday or watch his value plummet. As for Boston, they have a lot of starting pitching depth within their division, but the feeling here is that they will be reluctant to deal away their long term depth for a short term (year and a half) upgrade.
Gordon Edes reported earlier that Boston had offered Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden, and Single-A outfield prospect Ryan Westmoreland for Halladay, but that report was proven false. He is now reporting that the offer is Buchholz, the Blue Jays choice of Bowden, Justin Masterson, or Double-A first baseman Lars Anderson, along with lesser prospects. Considering that the earlier similar report was false, Edes was the only one breaking the story, the Red Sox' reluctance to trade Buchholz, and Anderson being one of a precious few power hitters in the Sox system (and is being dealt away for a pitcher), I don't believe this report either.
If the Red Sox get wind that the Yankees are in on Halladay, they may try in increase the price the Yankees must pay by including Buchholz in a deal as a bluff. Don't expect them to pull the trigger though. Theo Epstein is not in the business of selling the farm to play defense against the Yankees.
Chances this will happen: 5%

Adrian Gonzalez, 1B San Diego Padres - Gonzalez is one of the top young sluggers in baseball. He has put up excellent numbers despite playing in the most pitcher-friendly ballpark in the league and hitting in a lineup that offers him no support or protection. This guy would absolutely rake at Fenway for the Sox. Still, San Diego is extremly reluctant to part with him for many reasons, so his cost would be a least that of Halladay. Since Boston has depth in pitching but no hitting, it would make more sense to trade top prospects for someone like Gonzalez than it would be to trade for Halladay, but trade talks have not moved very far at all and it appears very unlikely that Gonzalez will be dealt.
Chances this will happen: 2%

Victor Martinez, C/1B Cleveland Indians - Martinez would solve the Red Sox' catching problem for a few years and back up Lowell, Youkilis, and Ortiz in the same way that Adam LaRoche does now, all while providing the middle-of-the-order bat the Red Sox need. The two sides have traded names, but for the moment Cleveland will not part with him unless they receive Clay Buchholz in return, something Boston has been reluctant to do. Cleveland's asking price may drop as the deadline approaches, especially if they are unable to deal Cliff Lee for players that will allow them to contend next year.
Chances this will happen: 20%

Cliff Lee, SP Cleveland Indians - This would be a very similar situation to the Roy Halladay one. The Red Sox, though, like Halladay better, making a deal for Lee less likely.
Chances this will happen: 3%

Boston Bullpen - Boston's bullpen depth might allow Epstein to trade a reliever in a deal of some sort. Trading away quality bullpen arms rarely works out well for contending teams. On the other hand, freeing up a bullpen spot would give the Sox a place to put John Smoltz or Clay Buchholz when Tim Wakefield returns.
Chances this will happen: 25%

OVERVIEW: A big name player is likely not his way to Boston by Friday. Theo Epstein had traded stars, but he usually trades them away (Nomar, Manny). He also has never traded away his top prospects. (The Beckett/Lowell for Hanley Ramirez deal happened during the brief spell when Theo was not the GM.) Don't expect him to start this week. There are no big stars that need trading away this year, so look for Theo to make smaller moves, possibly for a bat. Expect deals on the scale of the Adam LaRoche trade.

Dice-K Blasts Sox' Pitching Program

Daisuke Matsuzaka, speaking to the Japanese media, was recently very critical of the Red Sox' pitching program. He claimed that his success of the past two years was in spite of the program, which he blamed for his struggles this year. Red Sox manager Terry Francona and pitching coach John Farrell both said the public criticism (backstabbing?) by their own player was "disappointing." Farrell claimed the Dice-K's personalized program was developed jointly and conducted openly at all times. He thought Dice-K and the team were on the same page. Many have blamed the World Baseball Classic for Dice-K's struggles, but Farrell seemed to place more emphasis on the fact that Dice-K reported to spring training in horrible shape, meaning his struggles are largely his own fault. Dice-K does look rather chubby, so Farrell's claim is not so hard to believe. Still, Dice-K is frustrated with his performance so far this season, so his comments may have been an attempt to deflect criticism away from himself and onto the Red Sox.

Pap Blows Save, Sox Lose 9-8 In 11

Clay Buchholz did his job. He pitched 5 2/3 innings giving up just 2 runs and left with a 5-2 lead. By the time Jonathan Papelbon entered the game in the 9th the lead was 7-4. Yet Papelbon could not close the door as he allowed Oakland to tie the game at 7. The A's scored two more off Manny Delcarmen in the 11th to take a two run lead. The Red Sox brought a run across in the bottom of the inning, but Dustin Pedroia flew out to left for the final out, stranding the tying run on third. That sealed what will be a very tough loss for the Sox to swallow.

The Red Sox also retired Jim Rice's #14 before the game. Rice was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame over the weekend.

Next Game: Wednesday, 7:10 vs. Oakland

Sox Go Bird Hunting, Beat O's 7-2

Jon Lester simply loves facing Baltimore. Entering Saturday's game he was 8-0 against them in his career. He improved to 9-0 against the O's on Saturday by pitching 7 innings of 2-run ball, striking out 9 in the process. Offensive support came from David Ortiz, who hit a solo homer to center, and newly acquired Adam LaRoche, who hit a 2-run opposite field homer into the monster seats. The Sox improve to 2-0 on the homestand after dropping 5 straight on the road. They also pulled within 1.5 games of the Yankees who lost 6-4 to Oakland.


Next Game: Sunday, 1:35pm vs. Baltimore

On Vacation

See you Wednesday or Thursday.

Buchholz An All-Star

Ok, so maybe that's a little misleading, but it's still true. Clay Buchholz is indeed an All-Star - for the International League (AAA). Buchholz has dominated the International League this season, going 5-1 with a 1.90 ERA. The other PawSox All-Star is their closer, Fernando Cabrera. Cabrera currently has 16 saves and a 1.03 ERA.

Wednesday Afternoon: Red Sox Stage Comeback, Win 6-5 in 11th as Papelbon Sets Record

After Tuesday's demoralizing collapse the Red Sox badly needed a win. For the first 8 innings it looked like that wouldn't happen, as the O's tagged Sox ace Josh Beckett for 5 runs and took a 5-1 lead into the 9th. That's when the Sox finally came to life. After a Dustin Pedroia walk, Kevin Youkilis sent a fan in the right field bleacher home with a souvenir to pull the Sox within 2 at 5-3. The O's brought in their closer George Sherrill who fanned Jason Bay (0 for 5, 5 SO) and struck out David Ortiz looking for the second out. Down to their last out, the Sox counted on Jacoby Ellsbury to extend the game. He did just that with a single. Sherrill then walked Jeff Bailey and Jason Varitek to load the bases. Rocco Baldelli hit for Nick Green, and he singled up the middle, driving in 2 runs to tie the game. It stayed that way until the 11th. Elllsbury led off with a double and Bailey got him to third with a sacrifice fly. Julio Lugo was up next, and he singled to center to drive in Ellsbury. Papelbon took over in the bottom of the inning and retired the side in order to notch his 133rd career save, passing Bob Stanley for most ever by a Red Sox closer. Red Sox pitchers retired the last 24 Orioles they faced.

Next Game: Friday, 7:10 vs. Seattle Mariners

Sox, Bay Likely to Discuss Contract Extension

The Boston Globe's Tony Mazzarotti is reporting that the Red Sox will likely talk to Jason Bay about a contract extension before the season ends, probably over the All-Star break. The two sides talked during spring training, but the tough economic climate prevented them from striking a deal. It would be a good move by Boston if they can sign him during the season, but I doubt they will be able to do so before he becomes a free agent after this season. Bay will undoubtedly make more money if multiple teams can bid on him. (The Yankees will likely be in the market for a left fielder after this season.) Even if Bay had no intention whatsoever of leaving Boston, he can use other teams to command more money from the Red Sox. So unless the Red Sox give him an offer he can't refuse, don't expect anything to come from this latest round of negotiations.

Mike Lowell to the DL

The Red Sox placed 3B Mike Lowell on the 15-day DL yesterday, citing a right hip strain. The move is retroactive to June 28th. Lowell had previously had an injection in the hip as well as fluid drained from it, but clearly the Red Sox felt that he needed some rest. The move effectively sidelines him until after the All-Star break. While Lowell's injury will likely continue to bother him for the rest of the season, he should not be on the DL much longer than 15 days, meaning the Red Sox are unlikely to trade for another starting third baseman before the July 31st trading deadline.

Tuesday Night: Sox Blow 10-1 Lead, Lose 11-10

The headline on Dirtdogs read, "Sox Blow the Biggest Lead in the History of Earth." That may have been an exaggeration, but it certainly didn't feel like it. The usually-solid Red Sox bullpen was handed a 10-1 lead last night and coughed it up in a horrible collapse that involved a Jonathan Papelbon blown save. It is the first time in 20 years that Boston has blow such a large lead. The Red Sox started out strong, getting 4 innings of 1-run ball from starter John Smoltz before his outing was cut short due to a rain delay. After the break the Sox simply did not have their heads in the game. That was never more apparent than in the bottom of the 6th when they embarrassed themselves by walking off the field after only two outs.

Monday Night: Red Sox Blank O's 4-0

The Red Sox continued their dominance at Camden Fields in Baltimore tonight as they won their eight straight against the Orioles, dating back to last season. The Orioles have looked completely overmatched against the Red Sox for the past few years and tonight was no different as Jon Lester threw 7 shutout innings to improve to 8-0, 2.18 against Baltimore in his career. J.D. Drew was a double short of the cycle, as he hit from the leadoff spot tonight. Jonathan Papelbon faced one batter for his 132nd career save, tying Bob Stanley for the most saves in Red Sox history. Also of note is that Mike Lowell will be out until at least Friday after having an injection and having fluid drained from his right hip. He may end up on the DL, but it is too early to tell. For now, Kevin Youkilis will man the hot corner and Mark Kotsay will play first.

Next Game: Tuesday, 7:05, @Baltimore Orioles

Braves Top Sox 2-1; Braves' Rookie Hanson Shuts Down Sox' Bats

It was another low scoring affair at Turner Field in Atlanta for the season's final interleague game, but this time the Red Sox drew the short straw. Brad Penny pitched well again for the Red Sox, allowing just 2 runs in 6 innings. Usually that would be good enough to earn a win, but today Penny and the Sox were upstaged by the Braves' young phenom Tommy Hanson. Hanson, who beat the Yankees his last time out, silenced the Red Sox' bats for 6 innings to improve to 4-0 and lower his ERA to an impressive 2.48. Entering this year Hanson was touted as one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball. The Braves had so much faith in the youngster that they released long-time Atlanta icon Tom Glavine to ensure that Hanson had a spot in their rotation. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, he has lived up to the hype so far.
So far the Sox are 4-2 on their road trip. They'll aim to improve on that record as they play the final three games of the road trip in Baltimore starting Monday night.

Next Game: Monday, 7:05, @ Baltimore Orioles

Red Sox 1, Braves 0; Wakefield An All-Star?

The Red Sox beat the Atlanta Braves Saturday afternoon in a close 1-0 pitchers' duel. For the Braves, Javier Vazquez allowed just one run and struck out 8 in 7 2/3 innings, but took the loss as Tim Wakefield pitched 6 shutout innings to gain his 10th win of the season. That ties him Toronto's Roy Halladay and Minnesota's Kevin Slowey for the major league lead in wins. That raises the possibility that the 42 year old Wakefield could make the All-Star team for the first time in his career. He has certainly pitched well enough to gain that honor, but whether there will be an available spot for him on the AL roster remains to be seen.

Next Game: Sunday 1:35, @ Atlanta Braves

Friday Night: Red Sox 4, Braves 1

The Red Sox continued their superb interleague play Friday night by beating the Atlanta Braves 4-1. Josh Beckett pitched another gem against the Braves, this time throwing 7 shutout innings. Big Papi reminded Red Sox Nation again tonight that he's back to his old self, hitting his eighth homer of the season.

Next Game: Saturday, June 27th, 4:10 PM

Penny Likely Here For A While

Don't expect the Red Sox to trade Brad Penny anytime soon. Why? How about this:

• Penny has pitched very well his last few starts, making him one of the best back-of-the-rotation starters in the game right now.
• Daisuke Matsuzaka is on the DL, and by all accounts he will be out for quite some time, freeing a spot in the rotation that is Penny's to lose at this point.
• The Red Sox currently have 2 pitchers who are 40+ years old in their rotation (Tim Wakefield, John Smoltz). One of them (Smoltz) just came back from an injury. The chances of one of them getting hurt at some point are unfortunately high. The Red Sox would hate to see that happen right after they trade Brad Penny, as that would create two wholes in the rotation instead of one (or none if they hang onto Penny).
• The Sox see no immediate need to get Clay Buchholz to the big leagues. True, Buchholz is utterly dominating the International League (AAA), but he has not proven that he can pitch well consistently at the major league level. Brad Penny is doing that right now, so the Red Sox are not about to hand his spot in the rotation to Buchholz.
• There does not seem to be much interest in him from other teams right now. This could change as the trading deadline gets closer and teams get more desperate, but for now the Red Sox will sit tight until that happens and his value on the trade market goes up.
• The Red Sox have no immediate need to address. Both their bullpen and their starting rotation are among the best in baseball. Offensively Ortiz has started to pound the ball again, eliminating the need to import another bat. Nick Green has been more than adequate at shortstop, plus Jed Lowrie is getting closer to returning. So with no major wholes to fill, the Red Sox are under no pressure to swap Penny.
• Brad Penny is a gritty, hardworking dirtdog who doesn't take crap from anyone. (Just ask Joe Girardi.) That is exactly the type of player the Red Sox love.

Yeah, Penny isn't going anywhere for a while.

What Should the Sox Do With Dice-K?

1-5, 8.23 ERA, 2.20 WHIP. The numbers speak for themselves, but I'll say it anyway: Dice-K is pitching miserably at the moment. Under normal circumstances I'd say that there's nothing the Red Sox can do except keep trotting him out there every fifth day and allow him to work through his struggles. But these are not normal circumstances. Aside from Dice-K, the Red Sox have as many as 8 other pitchers capable of starting in a major league rotation. Four are already in the rotation. Of the others, Clay Buchholz and John Smoltz are both making strong cases for a spot in the rotation. Buchholz is dominating the International League (that's AAA for those of you who didn't know) and would be in the rotation already if he was in any other organization. Smoltz is set to come back on Thursday. Keeping him out any longer is unfeasible for many reasons, but I won't get into that here. So with Smoltz pounding on the door, looking for a rotation spot (with Buchholz right behind him), the Red Sox need to find him one. A few weeks ago the best way to do that seemed to be to trade Brad Penny. Since then, Penny has drawn only tepid interest on the trade market and in spite of that is pitching well, leaving Dice-K as the clear weak link in the rotation. The Red Sox would love to hand his spot to Smoltz but then they would need to figure out what to do with Dice-K. Throwing him in the bullpen is not an option because: a) the Red Sox already have a very good long reliever in Justin Masterson, b) Daniel Bard would have to be sent back to AAA, something the Red Sox would prefer not to do, and c) Dice-K takes at least 45 minutes to warm up, an unfeasible amount of time for a reliever. They could invent an injury for him and place him on the DL, but that wouldn't help Dice-K unless he simply needs to rest his arm (unlikely). They could go with a 6-man rotation, but that would ultimately lead to fewer games started by Josh Beckett and Jon Lester (that probably means fewer wins) and unreasonable rest periods for everyone in between starts. That problem only gets worse if you keep Beckett and Lester on normal rest and rotate the other four pitchers. The rest period for those four could jump to over a week in the right circumstances. Many fans undoubtedly want the Red Sox to trade Dice-K. That is completely out of the question for a number of reasons. (I'll explain in a later post). Ideally, Dice-K agrees to accept an assignment to AAA to work out is problems so that he can come back strong later in the year. That option appears less and less likely as time goes by. Smoltz was ready a while ago. If Dice-K was headed to AAA Pawtucket he would probably already be down there. If that move is not made by the 25th to clear a roster spot for Smoltz, then it won't happen at all.

So you tell me: what should the Red Sox do with Dice-K?