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Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported recently that the Red Sox inquired about Cleveland's Victor Martinez.  Talks never progressed.

If the rumor is true, it means the Red Sox either don't like George Kottaras or are really worried about David Ortiz.  My guess is they are/were worried about Ortiz.  No matter what the Front Office's thinking, the Red Sox line-up struggled badly on their recent 6-game road trip.  They scored 3.8 runs per game putting up: .235/.322/.376  We know that David Ortiz struggled, Kevin Youkilis wasn't available and Dustin Pedroia missed 2 games.

This combination of events really exposed the Red Sox line-up.  Jeff Bailey struggled (.143/.280/.286), Rocco Baldelli struggled (.077/.143/.077), Mike Lowell struggled (.167/.200/.208), Jason Bay struggled despite 2 home runs (.167/.259/.458).  What that Red Sox lack right now is depth.  With Ortiz an unknown, if any of the other regulars goes down, the Red Sox don't have much to fall back on.

I expect Ortiz back in the line-up tonight and this home stand will probably spell his last opportunity to salvage his starter status.  If he is unable to get things going, I expect we'll see a trade.

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A few thoughts on the Red Sox.  Jacoby Ellsbury, despite hitting .300, is still refusing to work the count (3.77 pitches per plate appearance, team average 3.89).  His 8 walks and .330 OBP suggests to me he is best suited for 9th in the order.  He has a home run swing, but isn't a home run hitter.  He refuses to take pitches or slap the ball the other way.  It drives me nuts.  He either needs to start setting the table, or he'll be the one doing the dishes (I have no idea what that means).

I have grown to hate watching the following Red Sox pitchers pitch:  Daisuke Matsuzaka, Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon.  With men on, they are slow, ever so slow and it makes the whole thing unpleasant.  You three, please think of me and what my preferences are.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

MLB announced today that games for this year's World Series will start just before 8:00 pm ET, compared to recent start times which were about 40 minutes later on average.

This is a long time coming and while it might hurt revenues in the short run, it will help expand fan loyalty for years to come.  We've talked about this at length, but just how, in the past, did MLB expect to get young kids interested in baseball if the first pitch was just around bedtime?  Sure the West was in good shape, but the population density on the East can't be ignored.

I still think compressing all US times zones into 1 during the World Series would be far easier.  Heck, let's compress all international time zones too while we are at it.  Baseball is, after all, the 2nd (or 3rd) most popular sport in the US and must be in the top 15 worldwide...top 25?  It has to be top 50.  Come on now.

Good work MLB.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I've largely avoided commenting on David Ortiz’s slow start, mostly because I figured we are looking at too small a sample size to worry.  But after Thursday’s game, where he left more men on base (12) than the entire Angels team did (11), I think it’s time for a change.

It could just be mental, he might be injured, or worse, he might just be old.

My favorite all-time baseball was Jim Rice.  To watch him fade so quickly at just age 34 was so disappointing.  For whatever reason, Rice had a short, albeit great, career.  Perhaps Ortiz falls into this category.  I don’t know.

Now let me delve the darker possibilities of Ortiz’s situation.  On talk radio and message boards (I believe everything I read on message boards), there are 2 main avenues of focus on David Ortiz’s plight:  Steroids and Age.

To date, David Ortiz has not been accused of, linked to or caught using steroids.  Other than his association with Manny Ramirez while both were in Boston, there has been no talk aside from the “you have to be juicing to hit 54 home runs.”

As for his age, many wonder if Ortiz is really just 33 years old.  Many international players (and perhaps homegrown players) have taken steps to conceal their actual age for obvious reasons.  Again, no smoking gun.

My feeling is I want to believe he is 33 and has always been clean, but as Peter pointed out a few days ago, no baseball fan can really overlook the fact that steroids greatly impacted baseball over the past 15 years without being considered naïve and no one can be removed from speculation.

No matter what the reason for his struggles, the fact is, he is terrible right now and hurting his team.  He is occupying a very important spot in the Red Sox line-up hitting 3^rd and producing with a .208 average, .318 OBP and .300 SLG.  To put that in perspective, a .300 SLG means he is getting only 3 tenths of the way to first base per at bat.  That’s a convenient distance as a 90 degree right turn takes him directly into the dugout.

Sean McAdam is reporting that Ortiz will be given the game off tonight and when he returns, Terry Francona needs to put him farther down the line-up, low enough to take expectations off of him, but not too far as to humiliate the guy.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

In a surprising move, the Red Sox have promoted Daniel Bard to the big club.  To make room for Bard, the Red Sox designated Javier Lopez for assignment.

You could tell the Red Sox were ready to make a move on Lopez as they have been using him quite a bit in hopes he turn his season around, but he just couldn't get anyone out this year and with Bard mowing them down in AAA, they made the move.

This move also puts some pressure on Jonathan Papelbon.  Papelbon hasn't been able to work out a long-term deal with the Red Sox and has been making his outings a bit more interesting than one would want so far in 2009.

I don't know if Bard has the make-up to handle 9th inning duty, but he'll likely be given the occasional try.

Sad news on the passing of Dom DiMaggio.  He was from my grandfather's generation and his loss sort of makes those days seem farther away in the rear view mirror.  I think had DiMaggio not missed 3 full seasons in his prime to WWII, he'd have had a legit shot at the Hall of Fame.

Also, best of luck to Jerry Remy in his recovery.  He has some of the best insight in all of baseball.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 04:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Can a team "sweep" a 2-game series?  I think so.

Glad the Red Sox took both games.

My impression of Joba Chamberlain has only worsened.  He plunked Jason Bay with a straight shot to the back after painting the corners for 4 innings and after Bay did serious damage.  I don't care what outside influences he is/was dealing with, Joba threw at Bay and I suppose we'll see a Yankee get plunked next time the these teams meet.

With Josh Beckett pitching tonight, I fully and completely expected fireworks following Bay's HBP, but Beckett, in unusual fashion, kept his cool and decided to pitch.  I thought Mark Teixeira would get the next ball in the rib cage, but alas, nothing happened, just a win.

If MLB had professional wrestling as a component, I think a Beckett folding chair across a Yankee batter's head would have been not only a great storyline, but a necessity.  No?  Good drama in my book.

I think we'll see a benches clearing incident later this season as a result.  Joba, you started things off and your teammates have you to thank...

David Ortiz, while still struggling, has seemingly managed to get himself out of the "in-between" status.  He isn't behind on the fastball and way ahead of a normal off-speed pitch.  He did swing and miss at a few very nice change-ups Tuesday night, but I'd rather see that than late on fastballs and way too early on off-speed stuff.  Time will tell if Ortiz has figured anything out.

Jacoby Ellsbury left with a hammy injury and Kevin Youkilis sat with a chest/oblique injury.  NESN's broadcast suggested Youk would be back Wednesday vs. Cleveland at Fenway while Ellsbury's status is unknown.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 12:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)