The Good, The Bad, and The Skinny

As we sit here on July 5^th, it is the halfway point of the 2006 season and I still cannot get a read on this year’s Red Sox team. After winning 14 of 15 against the NL East and people talking about them like they won the World Series they come down to earth and lose two straight to the Devil Rays. Not only did they lose these games to the Devil Rays it is everything else that came with it. We had our two best pitchers on the mound for the starts and they both took the L. The Yankees also lost their last two games so I guess that is a good thing and a bad thing. A good thing because we keep our lead in the AL East, a bad thing because we should have increased the lead. So with that said let’s hand out some grades and some moves we need to do to make this years team a world champion.

Pitching

The Sox have two Aces in Schilling and Beckett. They have a reliable consistent starter in Wake. A rookie pitcher who has pitched on thin ice in most his starts, but has gotten out of all of them while giving us a chance to win (Lester). And then we have a major major major question mark in Jason Johnson. This is a guy we got off the scraps from the Indians and in his first start for us, he had a rough two innings, but then settled down, but he took the loss. I am a little torn between who I want as my number 5 in the rotation. I have only seen one start for Johnson, albeit a bad one, but I willing to see what he has tonight in Tampa before I start calling for his head. Of course, the guy he is replacing in the rotation is no savior either. Matt Clement was not pitching well this year at all. He can’t get anyone out. So if I have to choose one of those two for my number 5 I take neither. We need to go out a get another starter. But more on that later. Our bullpen has been well chronicled. We have a bunch of rookies who I want to see out there much more than Taverez and Seanez. We have a nice matchup guy with Lopez. Take away what Timlin did yesterday he is having a great year. And of course we don’t need to reiterate how amazing Papelbon has been. He has one of the best years for a closer anytime anywhere.

Grade: Starting Staff B-, Bullpen C, Closer/Setup man: A

Offense

We were told at the beginning of Spring Training that this years Red Sox team wasn’t going to be your fathers Red Sox team. They weren’t supposed to mash the ball all around the field, they weren’t supposed to score a lot of runs, they weren’t supposed to have walk-off home runs every other week, and they were supposed to have a lot of holes in their lineup. But that just shows you what a team with two of the best power hitters in the game does. The old saying of “hitting is contagious” is definitely true. How else can you explain Lowell hitting over .300, Nixon hitting over .320, Gonzo hitting close to .270. (Now I know .270 doesn’t draw attention anywhere else but in Boston, but when you were supposed to hit .200 and the media said before the season that with Gonzo’s glove anything close to .270 would be amazing. It does warrant a mention.) A lot of players who weren’t supposed to do what they are doing are coming through. And because of that the Sox have scored 451 runs so far for an average of 5.5 runs a game, and they are on pace for over 900, that’s not too bad. Yuk in the top of the order has been a very pleasant surprise as well as his glove. Loretta is the typical number 2 guy that Edgar wasn’t last year. Ortiz is the best clutch hitter in the game, Manny is Manny. ‘Tek is having an off year with the average. Nixon is just hitting everything thrown at him. Crisp is getting more and more comfortable at the plate.

Grade: A

Defense

There isn’t much to say. The Sox have the best defense in the game. Earlier in the year they set the record for consecutive games without an error (17). Yuk is playing a great glove at first. Crisp is playing a centerfield that is making us forget about Jesus. Lowell, Gonzo, and Loretta are playing like gold glove winners. Just as a side point, Remy and Orsillo mentioned during yesterday’s game that Loretta and Gonzo have a combined five errors this season. Five errors from your middle infield that is unheard of.

Grade: A

Coaching

The coaching staff has been upgraded. They have a new pitching coach and new first and third base coaches. All of which have been upgrades. And I hate to say that about the pitching coach because Wallace had hip surgery and we feel for him and wish him a speedy recovery, but Nip has been great. Terry earned his 200^th win as a manager this season, and aside from some questionable decisions he has managed this team very well. I would love to see the young pitchers in there a little more. I want to see Hanson and Delcarmen in tight spots. Manny has been pitching very well.

Grade: B

Moves that should be made

The Sox need to upgrade their pitching staff. They don’t need to do anything with their lineup or defense. Adding another guy in the rotation and another guy in the bullpen will be great. Now I don’t think we should break the bank for anyone, I think it will be tough to land a Willis or Smoltz. Zito isn’t being traded. But I’d like to give Jake Pevey a look from San Diego. If the asking price isn’t too much why not make a deal with San Diego for the third time this year. Although a few days ago I heard the name Smoltz thrown out there for a Hanson, I am not sure how I feel about this. I think Smoltz will give the Red Sox a very realistic shot at another World Series ring, but Hanson is going to be a stud in this league. At the same time, it’s easier to fine a stud closer than an ace in the rotation. The Sox also need to add a bullpen guy to take over the Taverez or Seanez spot in the Bullpen. The Sox could go after someone like Joe Borowski who is pitching well down in Miami.

The Red Sox are not that far off from another World Series Title. Just need to add a few tiny pieces as the trading deadline.