Red Sox Hit Kennedy Hard, Down Diamondbacks 6-3
by Ben Buchanan on Jun 16, 2010 1:55 AM EDT
in Game Stories
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PrintThe Diamondbacks have one of the worst pitching staffs in the league, and it showed tonight. Despite losing starting shortstop and leadoff man Marco Scutaro for the day, the Red Sox got to Diamondbacks starter and former Yankee prospect Ian Kennedy for six runs--more than enough to take the opening game of the series.
Dustin Pedroia was a sparkplug for the offense, reaching base and scoring three times. He was on base when, after Clay Buchholz gave up a run in the first, David Ortiz put the Red Sox on top with a two run shot to right-center. Pedroia doubled in Mike Cameron and scored again in the third on a Victor Martinez infield single, and one more time in the fifth on a Kevin Youkilis double. While J.D. Drew wasn't part of the scoring, he did chip in two single past his shortstop brother, Stephen.
Aside from some trouble in the fourth inning, Clay Buchholz was sharp in his outing. He threw 65% of his 113 pitches for strikes, and recorded eight strikeouts and six groundouts. A high pitch count, inflated by long first and fourth innings, knocked him out with only two outs in the sixth. But he held a good offense in check and kept the ball out of play.
The bullpen had a surprisingly good night, allowing only one hit in over three innings of work (a double off Okajima). Otherwise, Delcarmen, Bard, and Papelbon all had spotless outings of relief in sealing the win.
Jon Lester takes the mound tomorrow against Rodrigo Lopez, hoping to rebound from a disappointing six-run start against the Indians.
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You know who is being shopped around and would seem to be a good fit for our OF?
David Dejesus.
Bullpen Banter
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So he would be the 4th OF?
He’s gonna be pretty expensive for a 4th OF
"man, this team they just suck so bad"- gizmosandy
DFA Bogar
Twitter: @BoldandBrash
by BoldandBrash on Jun 16, 2010 5:40 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
He would play a lot.
and insure us against Cameron and Ellsbury. Does a little bit of everything and can play all three OF spots pretty well.
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Plus, we'd get to hear the RemDawg pronounce his name all the time.
Which I always enjoy, because it’s different than how Don says it, which, in turn, is different than how I pronounce it in my head.
Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.
@#$%ing Twit: @blogtard
Why do you like to ruin my fun?
Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.
@#$%ing Twit: @blogtard
I heard Gammons say Rick Ankeil, he may be a better option.
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by bestbostonsports on Jun 16, 2010 10:13 AM EDT up reply actions
His 2009 season worries me a bit, if he isn’t asked to play CF he may be a fit though.
"We are not normal, We are Legends. People will tell their kids about us." - Deon Butler before Ohio State Game 2008.
No, while Hermida and Ellsbury are bith out.
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by bestbostonsports on Jun 16, 2010 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions
Rather have Dejesus, personally.
Ankiel has major contact problems, can’t stay healthy (we have enough of those) and will presumably cost more (more power, name value and the Royals are idiots). Dejesus has a better approach and is a better defender – and I feel his game would play up in Fenway.
Bullpen Banter
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Dejusus would be perfect.
Who can really say if Ells will be able to contribute at all this year? I wouldn’t consider Dejesus a 4th outfielder at all considering we’ve played most of this season with one healthy outfielder and a gaggle of replacement players. This would be a smart and very necessary move.
by SendEmHomeKim on Jun 16, 2010 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions
DeJesus' critical stats
DeJesus is an underrated player – due to the fact that he plays in KC and he doesn’t exactly excel at any aspect of the game. What he is, however, is above average at about every aspect of the game. Good all around player.
He currently sports a 0.394 OBP (lifetime 0.360) so he fits the patience mold of the Sox
His UZR is 2.5 right now but he sported a 15.5 last year.
He’s in the last year of his contract making 4.7 million (buyout of 500,000 with 6 million club option for 2011).
Yup.
My thinking exactly.
Also strikes me as the kind of player the Royals… uh… don’t seem to value properly.
Also, while $6mm is alot to pay for a 4th OF in 2011:
a) We don’t know where Ellsbury or Cameron will be in terms of healthy, so its great insurance there.
b) Dejesus has been worth more than $6mm in value every year since his rookie season – often much more.
He’s not an impact guy – sure… but he’s a solid all around player and a great complementary piece for a club like us.
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Do you think Henry and Co. will continue to spend for an outfielder
with our payroll as high as it is?
I just don’t see it happening. Maybe for a bullpen arm with a Billy Wagner type deal but the payroll is at a record level already.
DeJesus surely is a match and would fit well this year and next but do you really think the Sox will keep spending?
I think they will.
It makes sense for them to spend extra at the deadline where they are on the win scale. They’d actually be foolish to NOT spend the money to get those marginal wins that can increase our playoff chances and land us juicy playoff revenue.
You don’t spend this much money to try to get to the playoffs and then cheap out the last $5-10mm that gets you over the top. Doesn’t make sense.
Now, whether the right opportunity represents itself is another question…
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To be more clear
You’ve spent >$150mm to put together a team that will compete and try to get to the playoffs. Getting to the playoffs can land you something like 30 million in extra revenue studies have shown (less in this case since we’ve won a WS recently, but not significantly so – point stands). If you don’t spend an extra $6mm (lets say) you’re crazy. You may as well have never spent the original $150mm.
Bullpen Banter
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twitter: @alskor
I agree with your logic
but do not agree that they’ll spend any more $$$ on the outfield.
Bullpen yes, outfield, I don’t see it happening.
The money going to functioning players is actually quite lower than that. Lugo, Lowell, A Gonz, Billy Wagner and a few minor leaguers with ML contracts eat up like $25mil of our payroll, with limited or 0 production because of other signings.
Which is still high, but the outfield has been a wreck for pretty much the entire season. You think he’s going to do anything major about it now? Probably not. If money goes anywhere, it’ll be to the bullpen.
"We are not normal, We are Legends. People will tell their kids about us." - Deon Butler before Ohio State Game 2008.
Why can't we find a good leadoff hitter?
It looks like Scutaro is the only guy on the team who does a reasonable job from the leadoff spot. (We know Pedey and Drew loathe being there, and Ellsbury really isn’t an ideal candidate based on his plate approach.)
It was disappointing to see a donut in the hit column for Nava—but he did score a run, which means he managed to get on base. On the other hand, he also took 20 pitches across four at-bats, which is kind of what you want to see out of your leadoff hitter.
I expect Scoot to go back to the 1-spot when gets back.
Fenway: "An alternate and better universe, disguised as a ballpark." --Thomas Boswell
They don't just grow on trees,
bit with this team, it feels like we could do better. Ells may not have great plate discipline, but if your going by the rate he gets on base, it really isn’t any difference from his OBP last year (.355) and Scoot’s this year (.357). It feels like we should do better, but I think that is about average for leadoff men.
"man, this team they just suck so bad"- gizmosandy
DFA Bogar
Twitter: @BoldandBrash
by BoldandBrash on Jun 16, 2010 5:45 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
It's just weird
The guys with good OPS rates (JD Drew and Dustin Pedroia, I’m looking at you here) just tank for some reason when they have to hit leadoff. I mean it’s a really noticeable drop-off.
But the issue with Ellsbury isn’t the OBP, per se—it’s the fact that he tends to not take a lot of pitches. It’s OK to trade a few OBP points if you’re going to wear down the pitcher a bit. But being slap-happy and an average OBP? Not so wonderful.
Fenway: "An alternate and better universe, disguised as a ballpark." --Thomas Boswell
I woulda rather that other team wins…
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by bestbostonsports on Jun 16, 2010 10:13 AM EDT reply actions
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