Finally! Red Sox Complete Sweep of Diamondbacks With 8-5 Win

Because NY and Tampa both lost tonight.

Yahoooo

At 40-28 the Sox have the third best record in baseball now. But if the playoffs were held today we wouldn’t get in.

The AL East literally has the three best teams in baseball.

NAVA!!! Great hitting line today, and he has been on fire since being called up.

Two walks, it makes me proud.

in his debut as dbacks’ “closer”

Huge sox fan but hate the celtics more than words can describe.

Tonight was a great night.

For whatever inadvertent role they played in last night’s loss by WINNING THE WS.

Ok, this post is long so I apologize but want to clear the air…This is another great win for the Sox. DocOne I stand with you too. Ben, let me back up for a second here from our previous engagements before I comment on the Sox.

1. Ben, I really appreciate your articles on this blog, your knowledge of baseball to include the whiz-bang Super Crunchers numbers that the Front Office uses when evaluating and making personnel decisions. Your Minor Lines reports and draft knowledge is truly amazing. You are an advanced student of the game with an in-depth knowledge of the Sox. And, for what it is worth to the editors of this site this is my favorite Sox website. It is a good overall blog covering in-depth analysis to guys who just like to say “GO Sox!”

2. Since I work fulltime and I am deployed again (3rd time in 3 years now) you keep me updated on our beloved Sox – whom I have cheered for now 45 years since birth. (Yes, my grandparents brainwashed me.). Mea culpa. I do not often post here but I do read minor lines and recaps and love the draft coverage – good stuff!

3. However, I do not agree with you when you call your detractors passive aggressive or employ ad-hominen tactics to end a disagreement. I have been labeled many things in my life but not passive agressive. So, if my comments to you came across as passive agressive that was not my intent. If you met me you would see I am pretty agressive, comical and 20 years in the Army has certainly helped that. I am candid even when I prove myself to be wrong or right. So, my disagreement with your analysis 30-40 games into the season was just that – a candid disagreement and was not meant to be interpreted as a passive agressive attack on your character. Perhaps, my analogy of acorns with the obviuos context of Chicken Littlle created your conclusion that I was passive agressive. Not sure just a thought. If I wanted to attack your character then I would just hurl insults your way. Not my intent as I do appreciate your insights into the game (see comments above).

4. Again, your analysis so early in the season was not wise. What I called acorns you called boulders. However, we both agreed that it was an obstacle. We both disagreed at how large the obstacle was – i.e. acorns versus boulders. Perhaps we both misunderstood each other. And, if you are of a legal age to drink then the conversation over a beer and a Sox game would have been truly much lighter and enjoyable. We are seeing all three teams in the East move towards their capabilities. I should also add that it is ok to disagree – esp since we both want the same thing – another WS Pennant in the Fens.

5. Now back to baseball. Do I think the Sox will win the Division? Yes. Do I think it will be easy? No. I think it will come down to the Yanks and the Sox. Both teams are in the hunt even with injury problems. The Sox have been very compettive without Beckett and Dice-K contributing on a regular basis. Not to mention Ells and Cameron together. Yet, they are still finding a way to win. The bullpen is suspicious – but, they started out last year on a tear and then regressed. I do not know how to predict that piece past Paps and Bard it is sporty, spotty and sporadic. I do hope the recent article on how to ‘fix’ the bullpen is really the Front Office main concern – either internally or via trade…

6. Ending on many positive notes apart from the question of the bullpen and when will Ells and Beckett return?
     A. John Lackey is part of baseball’s only trio of starters with at least eight wins, and he thinks his best is still ahead of him.
     B. Ortiz’s numbers are up to .266 with 14 homers and 43 RBIs. Through May 10, he was hitting .185 with four homers and 11 RBIs.
     C. The Sox are a season-high 12 games over .500 & 29-14 since May 3rd.
     D. The Sox are now 7-0-3 in their last 10 series
     E. Lackey is the 16th Boston starter in the last 18 games to work at least six innings.
     F. Pedroia is 12 of his last 24 with eight runs scored and six RBI. The hot streak has taken his batting average from .248 to .271.
     G. We are only 2 games back, and we have only seen the starters on the field a handful of times this year.

7. So, (yawn) to wrap it all up I am still very bullish about the Sox this year we are in the hunt even though the ‘best team’ has not really been on the field. This team is a remarkable reflection of a front office that makes good decisions – we have depth and we are competitive even when key pieces are not in the lineup.

Russell, Cousy, Jones, Heinsohn, Havlicek and a bunch of other players never lost to the Lakers.