Lineup Needs a Shuffle

The offense is not scoring runs and the Sox really need a spark. This spark could come from a roster change in the future and a lineup change in the more immediate future. Kevin Youkillis is not comfortable as a run producer in the 5 hole and needs to be moved back up to the upper part of the order. Pedroia is hitting to well to be moved out of the 2 hole and if youk hit lead off the top of the lineup would be too slow. If I were Terry Francona I would move Youkillis to the three spot and move Ortiz and Manny down a spot. The lineup would be as follows:


1.Coco Crisp
2.Dustin Pedroia
3.Kevin Youkillis
4.David Ortiz
5.Manny Ramires
6.JD Drew
7.Mike Lowell
8.Jason Varitek
9.Julio Lugo

Sox Notes:
Gammons ESPN Interview With Mike Felger: Gammons talks about how Scott Boras ruined Craig Hansen, Buchholz being called up to Boston, Kason Gabbard's success, Daisuke and some trades.

- The real Coco Crisp emerged when June started. Coco's monthly splits:

        AVG   OBP   SLG   OPS
April: .235  .274  .338  .612
May:   .224  .303  .308  .611 
June:  .330  .362  .455  .817
July:  .283  .377  .547  .924 

- The Red Sox will win tonight, I guarantee it.

Doug Mirabelli= Automatic Out

DISCLAIMER- This is poorly written, but comes straight from my heart and mind as my brain sends impulses to my hands in order to type. IF YOU DO NOT LIKE NEGATIVITY, DO NOT READ!

Doug Mirabelli is useless. He is batting .188/.258/.318 this season. Big Papi could step up to the plate with a toothpick and post those numbers. Mirabelli is a rally killer and an automatic out. He kills this team whenever he plays. Fans complain about Wily Mo Pena and his strikeout woes, but they should be complaining about Mirabelli, who strikes out out nearly as much and doesn't possess any kind of power. He always looks overmatched at the plate and has the ugliest swing I have ever seen at the Major League level. It is no coincidence that Tim Wakefield gets poor run support compared to other Red Sox startes, because this stiff catches him.

I don't care if Doug Mirabelli can catch a knuckleball. If you put any half-way decent catcher behind the plate he will eventually learn to catch Wakefield. This hypothetical catcher (Say Josh Bard), would outperform Mirabelli at the plate and make up for the passed balls he allows with his performance at the plate. I will end my tirade and leave you with a new prayer to say every night.

Dear God, I hope that Doug Mirabelli will not kill us in an important game in a playoff series that wake has to pitch and that he is gone next year.

Should Kason Gabbard be the fifth starter, when Schill comes Back?

Per Roto World:

Kason Gabbard pitched a three-hit shutout and struck out a career-high eight Monday against the Royals.
Very impressive. Gabbard walked just one, though he did hit two batters. He was helped by three double plays, but he started two of those himself. Only four of the outs against him came on fly balls. With Gabbard now 3-0 with a 3.38 ERA, there's a good chance that Julian Tavarez will head to the pen when Curt Schilling comes off the DL. Jon Lester's season debut can wait

Gabbard was great tonight, but the Royals are a terrible ball club. Pawtucket could hold their own against them. I believe that Gabby will be a potentially good back of the rotation starter, and has been admirable as an emergency fill in, but I would rather have Tavarez or an upgrade in the 5th starter spot down the stretch.

Gabbard has been very good in five starts this season. He has pitched 29.1 innings and is 3-0 with a 3.38 ERA, even with his disastrous start in Seattle where he gave up 4 runs in 3.1 innings with 6 walks. Kason has an unimpressive 25/14 K/BB rate, but has been saved by his ability to induce ground balls (1.79 GO/AO,only 2 HR given up). Opponents have a .286 BABIP (Batting Average Balls Put In Play) against Gabbard, which means that he has benefited from good luck and/or defense.

Kason Gabbard Game Stats

Team          IP    H    R   ER  BB   SO  
Atlanta       5     6    2   2   1    7
Seattle       3.1   6    4   4   6    2
Texas         5.2   3    3   3   4    5
Detroit       6.1   3    2   2   2    3
Kansas City   9     3    0   0   1    8

If Gabbard can cut down on the walks and go deeper into games, he will have a bright future. With that in mind I still would rather not see him take a rotation spot down the stretch for this team. Gabby has two more starts before the trade deadline and most likely when Schilling comes back. These starts are against Chicago and a very tough Cleveland lineup, which might be his toughest test to date. If Gabbard performs well he can really enhance his trading value or actually force Tavarez to the bullpen, which is very unlikely considering a roster move will take place when Schill comes back and Javier Lopez and Gabbard are the only two players on the team with options.

Does the Home Run Derby Ruin a Player's Second Half

This season a number of players, including the notorious Barry Bonds, declined invitations to partcipate in the Home Run Derby. The two big excuses from each player who declined were that the derby makes you tired and that it messes up your swing. Bonds claimed it would make him too tired to finish his "quest" to top Hank Aarron's home run record. Bobby Abreu claims that his swing has not been the same since the 2005 Home Run Derby at Comerica Park, where he set a record with 41 homers in a single derby. Sox Rawk investigates the pre derby/post derby splits of the last 9 derby winnners:


1998 Ken Griffey JR

First Half    G    HR   AVG   OBP   SLG
              88   35   .299  .382  .678


Second Half   73   21   .267  .345  .541

1999 Ken Griffey JR

First Half    G    HR  AVG   OBP   SLG
              85   29  .310  .404  .620 

Second Half   79   19  .255  .360  .522

2000 Sammy Sosa

First Half    G   HR   AVG   OBP   SLG
              86  23   .305  .388  .574

Second Half   70  27   .338  .428  .711

2001 Luis Gonzalez

First Half   G   HR   AVG   OBP   SLG
             87  35   .355  .443  .745

Second Half  75  22   .290  .412  .620

2002  Jason Giambi

First Half   G   HR   AVG   OBP   SLG
             86  22   .318  .430  .602

Second Half  69  19   .309  .442  .593

2003  Garret Anderson

First Half   G   HR   AVG   OBP   SLG
             96  22   .316  .345  .597

Second Half  67  7    .313  .344  .463


2004 Miguel Tejeda

First Half   G   HR   AVG   OBP   SLG
             85  15   .311  .358  .506

Second Half  77  19   .311  .363  .566

2005 Bobby Abreu

First Half   G   HR   AVG   OBP   SLG
             89  18   .307  .428  .526

Second Half   73  6    .260  .376  .787


2006 Ryan Howard
First Half   G   HR   AVG   OBP   SLG
             84  28   .278  .341  .582

Second Half   75  30   .355  .509  .751

Sox Notes


-Our Sox picked up another win tonight. Daisuke was not spectacular allowing four runs on nine hits in 6 innings, but pitched well enough for the win. Manny Delcarmen continues to prove that he is capable of being the 7th innning guy giving up no runs on four hits over 2. Okajima did his thang in the 9th to finish off the Jays.

-It looks like Julio might finally be breaking out with a great 3-4 performance at the plate tonight.

Articles

Here are a few good articles I have read during the week:

- Jayson Stark's Mid Season Awards

- To Youkilis, Every Pitch Matters

- Story of Josh Hamilton's Drug Addicition as old by him

- Sox Rawk Preview- This weekend Jed Lowrie will be our featured prospect and a piece will be done on the impact of the Home Run Derby on the winner's season.

Jacoby Ellsbury: As Good as Gone

Last weekend, Red Sox Nation caught a glimpse of Boston's #1 position prospect, Jacoby Ellsbury. The 2005 first rounder out of Oregon State impressed with his sprinter-like speed, hitting approach, defense and toughness. Ellsbury gave the Fenway Faithful a glimpse of the future, batting .375/.444/.438 in 16 at bats. He also left an everlasting impression when he scored from second on a wild pitch against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Sorry to all of you readers that loved Ellsbury's exciting play and are looking forward to watching him roam the spacious Fenway outfield for the next ten years, because he wasn't called up out of necessity or even for a cup of coffee. Jacoby Ellsbury was being showcased.

One might disagree with this by saying that Coco Crisp was hurt and Wily Mo Pena could not be trusted, but the better option in that case would to call up David Murphy especially since Coco was only day to day. Although Murphy was reassigned to Pawtucket just days earlier, he did not have to go through the normal 10 day waiting period to be recalled because Joel Piniero was placed on the DL.

Ellsbury was only hitting .286/.361/.380, after spending about 2 months in Pawtucket. Murphy was hitting .281/.355/.419 for the season, is a lesser prospect and has Major League service time under his belt. Ellsbury obviously needs some more seasoning in Triple A and the short time in the majors might have hindered his development long term

The Sox brass saw Coco's injury and upcoming series's against pitching-lowly Texas and Tampa Bay as a chance to showcase Ellsbury for the upcoming July 31 trading deadline. They optioned him down not only because they wanted to give Youkillis a rest (Jeff Bailey callup), but also because they were going on to face two southpaws (Andrew Miller and Nate Robertson) and Jeremy Bonderman in the upcoming series with the Tigers.

I enjoyed watching Ellsbury play,as he quickly became one of my favorite players, but I will not be one bit surprised if he is not Red Sox property after July 31. Coco has a good contract and his showing signs of life with the bat, but Ellsbury projects to be the better player long term. Hopefully Theo doesn't trade him for crap.

Around The League

- Shame on you, Barry Bonds. I cannot believe you are sticking it to your home fans by not participating in the Home Run Derby. I hope you blow your knee out swinging for McCovey cove in tommorow's Mid Summer Classic, so you will never reach Hank Aaron's home run record.

- It was great to see the Phillies help the Coors Field grounds crew yesterday. Some loud mouth reporters chastised them because they might have got hurt. Give me a break, the players were having fun and saved some grounds crew members from a potentially dangerous situation. Fun moments like these are what baseball is all about and it is nice to see the players enjoy themselves. See the video clip here:

My Favorite Jar of Spit

That is 100% high quality Clay Buchholz spit. (SEE EXPLANATION IN LAST POST)

RED SOX NOTES
- Just a terrible performance from the boys tonight. (Game Wrap Here)

- Terry Francona's decision to walk Sean Casey to load the bases in the 5th was awful. Casey is not a huge power threat with a .394 slugging percentage and just one home run. There were two outs and the Sox did not have to load the bases to induce a double play. They should have taken their chances with Casey instead of putting another man on base. The next batter Marcus Thames, who has a .514 slugging percentage and 9 homers, crushed the Julian Taveraz offering for a grand slam.

- Speaking of Tavarez, he needs to be moved to the bullpen. The guy is very effective his first time through an order, but is just not effective his second and third times through the order. I do not have opponnents batting average splits, but trust me, they are terrible. When Schilling comes back and the rotation is back to normal, Theo can either turn to an in house option by filling the spot with Jon Lester (encouraging performance tonight) or Buchholz, or he can acquire a starter through a trade.

- Wily Mo Pena has struck out 46 times in 116 at bats. He has walked 11 times. I love his power potential, but he just doesn't have the plate discipline or contact rates to be a solid regular.

I am Officially a Fanatic

Today, I took the 20 minute drive from my house to New Britain to check out some Sox
Prospects in action as the Portland Sea Dogs played the New Britain Rock Cats. The game was great (Portland Won), but the most noteworthy part of my sojourn came after the game, while I waited to get some autographs of future Sox stars.

25 minutes after the completion of the game, Clay Buchholz, Boston's top prospect and arguably the best pitcher in the minors walks out of the locker room carrying a paper cup. I ask him if he would please sign some cards for me and he puts his paper cup on top of a soda machine and signs away for all of the people waiting for his autograph.

Right when he is boarding the team bus my friend points out to me that Buchhols left his paper cup on top of the soda machine. I go to grab the cup and yell to Clay that he left his "drink", but he already boarded the bus. I look into the cup and realize that Clay was only using it for tobacco spit. My friend dared me I would not keep it, so naturally i took the dare, brought it home and poured it into a small bottle. I am now the only person in the world, other than Clay Buchholz to own genuine, Clay Buchholz spit. Clay better become a superstar because this souvenir, although one of a kind, is pretty gross. How much did the guy on EBAY make for Luis Gonzalez "ABC" gum?


RED SOX NOTES

- After collecting 2 hits last night, Julio Lugo went 0 for 3 today. He is now 2 for his last 39.

- Manny Delcarmen seems to be settling into the 7th inning setup role. His strikeout in relief of Lopez today was absolutely huge. Keep it up Manny! We need you.

- After today's action the Sox are now 12 games up on New York.

Do Not Vote for Okajima (SERIOUSLY)

Hideki Okajima is one of 5 American League players to qualify for the Final Vote, which determines who will fill the last roster spot on the All Star team. Okajima is competing with 5 other American League pitchers: Pat Neshek, Jeremy Bonderman, Roy Halladay and Kelvim Escobar for the final spot on the AL All Star team. Fans can vote as many times as the want for any player involved in the vote. For the sake of the Red Sox, DO NOT VOTE FOR HIDEKI OKAJIMA.

With a 2-0 record with a dismal 0.90 ERA and 36 strikeouts, Okie is the most deserving player. Even though Okajima deserves a trip to San Fran for the All Star game, he has carried a heavy workload and would benefit more from a 3 day break where he would keep Daisuke company in Boston than a trip to San Francisco where he might have to pitch in a meaningless game. Again, DO NOT VOTE FOR HIDEKI OKAJIMA.

If you cannot decide who to vote for other than Okajima, vote for Minnesota reliever Pat Neshek. Neshek is 3-0 with a 1.37 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 39.1 innings. In case you have never heard of him, he is a fan favorite, who runs his own blog called On The Road With Pat Neshek. Neshek is a class act and is a great ambassador for the game. In his latest website post, he expresses his desire to play in the All Star Game:

OW, how cool is getting nominated. I don't know what to say it's unreal to even think about. But man I need you guys to vote, vote and vote, http://www.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2007/fv/ballot.html it's unlimited voting...tell everyone you know and come together and get creative we have like 5 days or something! We need everyone, all Minnesotan's, all graphers, fans of baseball and yes everyone in Yankee Nation ( and we know why!) I seriously would like to promise everyone All Star balls or jerseys for voting but it might be a stretch...I will promise this, if you guys can get me in I will write about everything that goes on... multiple updates each day letting everyone know what the heck goes on behind closed doors, I will always inscribe anything with All Star 07...dont even have to ask, I will try my best to get lots of giveaways and give them away on here and if I get an extra jersey like they did last year I will give it away in a contest not an auction. I don't know what else to say it would be the greatest feeling in the world to be voted in by you guys. Please tell everyone to vote multiple times:)

Do this class act and the Red Sox a favor by voting for Pat Neshek instead of Hideki Okajima in the Final Vote. Another incentive for voting Neshek is that if you vote for him and send him a letter saying so, he will gladly sign any merchandise you send him as long as you include an envelope with your return address and postage.

RED SOX NOTES

- Jacoby Ellsbury is the fastest man I have ever seen on a baseball diamond. Today, he was the first Red Sox player since Jeff Frye to score from second on a wild pitch. Ellsbury has been very impressive in centerfield and is starting to show what he can do at the plate. Note to Coco: You better come back soon because this kid is going to steal your job.

- Kason Gabbard did a solid job tonight, even though he can cut down on the walks. (RED SOX GAME BOX HERE)

Prospect Profile: Reid Engel

AGE: 20
BORN: 5/7/87
Height:6-3
Weight:190
Bats:Left
Throws: Right
Acquired: 2005 Draft, 5th Round
Position: Right Field
Player Comparison: Steve Finley
Current Team: Greenville Drive (Low A)
Rank: BA: Unknown Sox Prospects- #17




Scouting Report( Courtesy of SoxProspects.com):

Speedy and athletic left-handed hitting outfielder. Makes good contact, above average plate discipline. Decent power, but needs to build up strength a bit. Raw with a high ceiling, still playing above his age level. Intelligent. Probably could stand to bulk up a little, but he's still young so that can be expected. Plays a sold right field. The Red Sox organization thinks very highly of Engel.

Season Stats: AVG  G  AB   HR   RBI  TB  BB  SO  SB  OBP  SLG  OPS
             .304  60 217   3   28   94  22  40  7   .382 .433 .815

Career Stats: AVG  G  AB   HR   RBI  TB  BB  SO  SB  OBP  SLG  OPS 
             .247 62  251  22   26   88  13  53  5   .283 .351 .633

Amateur Career: Reid Engel attended Lewis-Palmer High School in Longmont Colorado where he played baseball. Reid showed potential as a 5-tool prospect with plus speed and a projectable frame. In his senior year, he hit .431 with 6 Home Runs and 37 RBI. Reid was and still is a very intelligent player who made Academic All State. Engel committed to Baylor University, but signed with the Red Sox (154K Bonus) after they made him a 5th round selection in 2005.

Pro Career:
In 2005, Engel signed early enough to play 27 games for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. He hit at a .233 and only slugged .330, but showed good plated discipline and some raw ability.

Reid was assigned to repeat the GCL in 2006 as a 19 year old. After six games where he hit .200 for the Sox GCL affiliate, Engel was promoted to Lowell (Short Season) where he became the youngest player on the team and played center field. He was disappointing for Lowell hitting a decent .251, but only got on base at a .280 clip and did not show much power with a .355 slugging percentage. Engel whiffed 48 times too.

This season, the Red Sox thought highly enough of Engel to start him in full season ball for the South Atlantic League's Greenville Drive(Low A). He is the team's right fielder. Engel got off to a slow start batting just .200 in April with a .458 OPS. As May came around,so did Engel's bat. Engel raked in May, putting up a line of .410/.473/.602. After cooling off slightly in June, when he hit .282, Engel is batting .304/.382/.433. Engel played flawless right fielder with 0 errors on the season. He played well enough in the first half to earn himself a starting spot on the Sally League All Star team.

Projection:
Engel at 20, is young for his level and has a very bright future. He needs to show some more power and add more muscle to his frame in order to climb up through the ranks and produce at the higher levels. Engel is still a very raw talent who has as good of a chance of becoming a big league star as he does of becoming a career Minor League filler. Engel is a very good sleeper prospect who deserves more publicity and hype than he is getting. Look for him to start 2008 in Lancaster.

Sox Prospects: Reid Engel
MILB.COM: Reid Engel

RED SOX NOTES 6/29

- Due to a busy schedule today, the first ever prospect profile will be posted on Saturday or Sunday. The prospect profiled will be Greenville outfielder, Reid Engel.

RED SOX NOTES

 
                    TEXAS VS BOSTON 6/29 

- The offense didn't show up tonight, but the three game losing streak is over as the Red Sox beat Texas 2-1. Check the wrap and the recap here.

- PLAYER OF THE GAME: TIM WAKEFIELD

  LINE:     IP   H  R  ER  BB  SO 
            6.2  7  1  1   4   4

- PLAY OF THE GAME: With the bases loaded in the top of the 7th, Manny Delcarmen threw a fastball, that Sammy Sosa couldn't catch up to, ending the inning.

- I love the flair that Jon Papelbon plays with. The look on his face when he thought he beat Kenny Lofton to the bag was priceless. He is a competitor and loves to win. I love players that play their hardest and love winning.

- Alex Cora started in Julio Lugo's place for the second time this week. He was hitless in three at bats. Lugo continues to struggle and is 0 for his last 31 at bats.

RANDOM NOTES

I leave you with a video of Royals center fielder, Joey Gathright jumping over a car:

Sox Lose Another Winnable Game

Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched his best game as a Red Sox yesterday, giving up one run on 3 hits, in 8 innings pitched. Matsuzaka walked just one batter and struck out 8. Daisuke received a no decision in a 2-1 loss after receiving no help from his offense.

The Red Sox offense was truly pathetic. They could not manufacture any runs against Mariners starter Brian Feierabend, a soft tossing lefty who entered the game with a 1-2 record and an 8.20 ERA. Their only run came on a sacrifice fly by Coco Crisp, which was created by a throwing error.

Boston had a great opportunity to break open a 1-1 tie in the 7th inning with David Ortiz stepping to the plate with one out and men on second and third. George Sherill got Ortiz to fly out, but Boston still had a chance with Manny Ramirez coming up to bat. Manny was overpowered by reliever Brandon Morrow and the Red Sox were done. The tie lasted until the bottom of the 11th when Joel Piniero (Cringe) came in and gave up a game winning double to Jose Lopez.

Red Sox Notes

- If your two best players are not coming through in key situations you are not going to win. Rotoworld made the perfect comment about Manny and Ortiz:

Think about what kind of record the Red Sox might have right now if their two best hitters ever came through in big situations. David Ortiz is has just one RBI in 31 at-bats in close-and-late situations this season, and Manny is hitting .233 with four RBI in 30 at-bats. Ortiz's struggles are probably a fluke. Manny, though, is frequently being overpowered by top relievers. It's a definitely cause for concern.

-The Sox need to come out strong on Friday against Texas starter Jamey Wirght. On the season, Wright is 1-1 with a 7.43 ERA. If they do not rock Wright, I might have to smash my TV with a baseball bat.

- Look on the bright side guys. Even after being swept the Sox have the best record in baseball and 9 games up on second place Toronto. The Yankees are even further behind at 11 games back.

- Has Daisuke finally arrived? Matsuzaka finished June with a 2-2 record and a 1.59 ERA. His season ERA dropped by more than a point from 4.83 to 3.80. The Dice Man has only received 7 runs of support in his last 6 starts.

- I have realized that the key to beating the Red Sox is to put a soft tossing lefty on the mound. Chuck James, Lenny Dinardo and Brian Feirebend have all stymied the Sox this season.

RANDOM NOTES

- If you are a Minor League Baseball fan or just an avid follower of Red Sox prospects you should play MILB Beat the Streak, a fantasy game at MILB.com. Each day you pick one Minor League player that you think will get a hit. If the player gets a hit, you start to build a streak. If the player fails to get a hit your streak ends and you start all over. The person with the longest streak by the end of the season will receive tickets to a Minor League baseball game of the choice and a $250 shopping spree at MLB.com.

- A's DH, Jack Cust after a monster start to his season cooled of for a little while. He is smashing the ball again with four home runs in his last five games. Check out an interesting article on Cust at The Hardball Times.

- Tomorrow, I am going to start a Prospect Profile segment. Each week I will take a closer look at a Red Sox prospect or a prospect of interest. Check back tomorrow to see the star of this week's prospect profile.

Interesting Tidbit from the Elias Sports Bureau

Today, seven starting pitchers in their 40's will take the mound for their respective teams, setting a Major League record. The record of six pitchers in their 40's starting Major League games in one day, was set last Friday. The same six pitchers from Friday are scheduled to take the mound today in addition to Roger Clemens of the Yankees. Here is the list:

Starter               Team        Age 
Roger Clemens         Yankees     44
Jamie Moyer           Phillies    44
Kenny Rogers          Tigers      42
Greg Maddux           Braves      41
Tom Glavine           Mets        41
Woody Williams        Astros      40
John Smolts           Braves      40

* Courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau

Please be Patient with Jon Lester

Red Sox Nation seems frustrated with Jon Lester after three straight sub par pitching performances for Pawtucket. The worst of the three, came last night against the Louisville Bats where he gave up 8 earned runs on 9 hits in 4.1 innings. His stuff isn't as sharp and there is less life on his fastball because of stamina issues.

Sox fans need to patient with Lester. The guy just came back from leukemia and deserves a freebie for the season. It is a blessing that a sick and weakened Lester has even been able to pitch this year. Let him work on his command and regain his stamina for the rest of the year in Triple A. If he can help the Red Sox in September, it will be icing on the cake. If not, with his heart, desire and talent, he will be more than ready for Spring Training and a breakout 2008 season.

NOTES FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE
- Brewer's farmhand Manny Parra threw a perfect game tonight, leading the Nashville Sounds over the Round Rock Express in Pacific Coast League Action. On the season, the 24 year old southpaw is 8-4 with a 2.45 ERA and a .221 OBA. He has solid ground ball tendencies with a 1.31 GO/AO and averages over a strike out per and inning.

- Am I the only one that is sick of Ozzie Guillen and his escapades? Ken Williams needs to fire this guy immediately, after his newest sophmoric comment:

"We have to apologize to the fans watching this thing because I'm tired of watching this day in and day out. ... Wow. You thought I was a good manager. Well, look at me now. I'm not that good. You're as good as your players are."

There is no excuse for a manager throwing his team under the bus publicly especially in Guillen's case. He does not deserve the benefit of the doubt with his past history of idiotic comments. Note to Ken Williams: Grow some stones and fire the loose cannon.

- Check out Red Sox pitching prospect Clay Buchholz as he vacates the #5 spot on Baseball America's Prospect Hot Sheet.

BEUHRLE ANYONE?

Yesterday, The Boston Herald reported that, "baseball sources," confirmed that the Boston Red Sox are interested in Chicago White Sox ace, Mark Beuhrle. Beuhrle, 28 years old, is one of the best and most consistent pitchers in the majors. The southpaw has great command and throws a low 90's fastball, complemented by one of the best changeups in the game and a cutter that he often uses as his out pitch. He has an amazing pick off move. Buehrle is also very durable. He has started at least 32 games a season, since he
became a full time starter in 2001. This season he is 4-4 with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. He threw a no-hitter against Texas on 4/18/07.

If the Red Sox were to add Beurhle, they would have the best rotation in the bigs, hands down. Also if Curt Schilling's arm is worse than he is indicating, the Sox will need another high quality arm (Beuhrle) to pitch every 5th day for the stretch run. Come on Red Sox fans; don't tell me you wouldn't drool over a playoff rotation of Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Schilling and Beuhrle.

There are two issues that would have to be addressed in order for the Sox to acquire Beuhrle.

Issue #1: What prospects would Boston give up?
- Sources indicate that Chicago would want at least one top tier prospect: Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, Jacoby Ellsbury. Logic indicates that the Sox would also need to include one of their second tier prospects: Michael Bowden, Brandon Moss, and Jed Lowrie. All of these players have bright futures, but the only one that I consider untouchable and would not trade for Beuhrle is Clay Buchholz. Sorry but there isn’t going to be a Kason Gabbard and Moss for Beuhrle deal. To get value, one needs to give value.

Issue #2: Beuhrle is an unrestricted free agent after this season.
- The front office will not give any value to the White Sox for Beuhrle without a contract extension. The draft pick compensation gained if Beuhrle walks at the end of the season would not be worth, a deal involving quality players, f/e Ellsbury and Bowden. I would not give Beuhrle anymore than 5 YRS/60 mill.

While a Beuhrle acquisition would help Boston, it would be a very complicated acquisition to make. I would rate the chances of the Red Sox acquiring him at 30%.

- QUESTION: If you were Theo, what prospects would you be willing to give up to acquire Beuhrle and what kind of contract would you sign him to?

Random Notes

- Josh Beckett was brilliant yesterday, outdueling Jake Peavy for his Major League leading 11th win. Beckett pitched 8 innings, giving up 2 earned runs and tying a season high by striking out 8 batters.

- RIP, Rod Beck. Rod Beck sadly passed away at his home in Arizona on Sunday. Beck played 14 Major League Seasons including 3 with the Red Sox from 99-01. Beck saved 286 games in his career and was a very down to earth man and great professional. He will never be forgotten.

Beckett vs Peavy: A Matchup You Do Not Want to Miss

In thirty minutes, Josh Beckett will take the mound against Jake Peavy and the San Diego Padres. Beckett vs. Peavy, at Petco Park nonetheless, has the potential to be one of the best pitching match ups you will ever see. The two young flamethrowers are off to the best year of their respective careers and are arguably the best single pitchers in the American and National Leagues.

Here is how they stack up against each other:
Peavy: 9-1 1.98 ERA 110 K's 3.79 K/BB
Beckett: 10-1 3.14 ERA 71 K's 3.73 K/BB

Keep in mind the fact that Peavy pitches in the National League at the best pitcher's park on the planet and has not had to pitch against the Yankees twice this year. If you are a fan of pitchers duels and fast games like me, DO NOT MISS OUT ON THIS ONE!!!!

- Julio Lugo, the $36 million man is now hitting below the Mendoza Line with and average of .196. I never thought the Lugo signing was a good one, but I do not believe he would perform this badly. Hanley Ramirez, Rentawreck and O-Cab continue to drive Sox fans nuts.

- Speaking of former Red Sox shortstops, my boyhood idol, Nomar Garciaparra continues is struggling at the plate batting a solid .281, but has an OPS of only .659. He better catch fire because James Loney is a budding star, who will steal his at bats.

- The Red Sox have reached a verbal agreement with first pick (55th overall), Nick Hagadone. Hagadone, 21, is a left handed closer with a large 6-5 230 pound frame out of Washington, who the Red Sox plan on converting into a starter. He throws a low 90's fastball with good movement and control. Hagadone's out pitch is a plus slider. He is working on a developing changeup and a splitter. Hagadone was 6-1 with a 2.77 ERA for Washington this season. The Sox made a good selection with the 55th overall pick. If Hagadone's changeup progresses he has the ability to be a top starter at the big league level. At worst, he will become a lefty specialist out of the pen.

Checking in with Old Friends

5/1/06 seemed like a glorious day for Red Sox nation. Josh Bard, after 6 starts with total of 10 passed balls as Tim Wakefield's personal catcher, was traded to the San Diego Padres, along with Cla Meredith for Doug Mirabelli. The trade took place the same day Wakefield was slated to take the mound against the Yankees. After a police escort, Mirabelli arrived at Fenway Park, suited up and ready to catch just minutes before the first pitch. Mirabelli allowed no passed balls in the game and the Red Sox defeated the Evil Empire 7-3.

Mirabelli went on to start in 44 more games for the Red Sox, catching all of Wake's starts,and allowing 11 passed balls. While his defense behind the plate was fine, Doug was terrible in the batter's box hitting .193/.261/.342. Was the then 35 year old really worth Bard, a 28 year old backstop, known for his defensive prowess,and Meredith, a Triple A pitcher with a whole lot of upside, but a damaged psyche? The answer to the aforemention question, at the time was, no. Bard's bat was better than Mirabelli's and he most likely would have gotten used to catching Wakefield's knuckleball. Bard was and still is a better overall defensive catcher than Mirabelli.

Meredith alone was not even worth Mirabelli. Cla showed the potential to become a lights out setupman after dominating the minors in early 2005, an accomplishment that earned him a big league call up. In his Major League debut, Cla gave up a grand slam to Richie Sexson that looped around Pesky's Pole and was immediately shuttled back to Pawtucket. Meredith's performance suffered after his demotion from the big league club, but the sidewinder still showed great deception and good stuff.

Meredith and Bard each flourished in San Diego after the trade, which Theo Epstein has publicly admitted that he made a mistake pulling the trigger on. Bard did a fantastic job in 93 games for the Padres, handling the pitching staff well, allowing no passed balls, and hitting .338/.506/.337. Meredith was arguably the top reliever in the National League. The then 23 year old went 5-1 with a 1.07 ERA and .71 whip in 50.2 innings pitched. Meredith had a K/BB ratio of 6 and a ridiculous GO/AO (ground out/air out) of 3.37.

Currently all 3 of these players, play for the same teams and are set to make appearances in this weekend's Red Sox vs. Padres match up. Up to this point in the season the Bard to Mirabelli comparison favors Bard:


BARD: GS:44 AVG.257 OBP .337 SLG .351
MIRRABELLI: 17 .194 .254 .306

While Bard hasn't put up great offensive numbers, they are still much better than Mirabelli's. One might argue that Mirabelli's job is to catch Wake and that he is doing a great job doing it. The problem with that argument is that Bard, with his defensive prowess, most likely would have adjusted to Wakefield. Although Mirabelli does a fine job catching Wake, he is an automatic out in our lineup. Bard is not a great hitter, but he is far from an automatic out. Bard is a 29 year old, entering his prime, who could have stuck with the team for years, while Mirabelli is a 36 year old, whose best days are long gone. I do not understand the logic of trading a better, younger player along with a prospect for a worse, older player.

Oh, and then there is Meredith. Cla is not having as dominant of a year in 07 as he did in 06, but he has still been a solid setupman for Trevor Hoffman. Meredith is 2-5 with a 3.50 ERA and 1.44 whip. He has shown even better ground ball tendencies with a GO/AO of 4.80. If Cla were still with the Sox he would be competing with Manny Delcarmen for the final relief spot and may still be in Triple A. He was expendable and most likely still would be, but not at the price of Mirabelli. Then again, it isn't the first time the Red Sox traded a young pitcher that turned into a stud setupman for Mirabelli. Boston traded Justin Duscherer to the Rangers in exchange for Mirabelli in 2001. At least none of these trades were as bad as Jeff Bagwell for Larry Andersen.

New David Ortiz Commercial

If you haven't seen the new David Ortiz commericial for Sports Center, you are missing out on a good laugh. It is the second commericial by ESPN that Ortiz has been featured in (SEE FIRST HERE). Here it is:

Don't worry, Papi. I would be more than honored to shake your saliva filled hands. I probably would never wash my hands after that. I could even take some of the spit, put it in a water bottle and sell it on ebay like Luis Gonzalez did with his gum.

- Congratulations to Red Sox top prospects, Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz, who were selected to participate in this year's All Star Future's game, for the United States team. The World team featuring Franklin Morales, Carlos Gonzalez and Joey Votto is going to have their hands full against a stacked U.S. team. (US ROSTER)(WORLD ROSTER)

Best Nicknames in Baseball

I don't have much time today to do a true article or even a preview of this weekend's series with the Padres. Instead I will leave you with my list of favorite nicknames of current players:

1. Albert Pujols "Phat Albert"
2. Travis Hafner "Pronk"
3. Shane Victorino "The Flyin' Hawaiian"
4. Dmitri Young "Da Meat Hook"
5. Keji Johjima "Yo Mamma"

Honorable Mention: Boof Bonser
Boof would be the number one name on the list if it was actually his nickname. In 2001, Bonser legally changed his name from John Paul to Boof, a nickname that he had been called since his childhood.

Clay Buchholz: THE REAL DEAL

I drove up to Norwich tonight to see the Portland Sea Dogs play a double header against the Connecticut Defenders , mainly to get a closer look at Sox wonder boy Clay Buchholz, who pitched game one of the twin bill. Buchholz is the real deal and seems more advanced at this stage in his development than Jon Papelbon was. Today he struggled a little bit with fastball command, but his off speed stuff was unhittable. Buchholz did a fantastic job mixing up his pitches, keeping batters off balance throughout the game. Clay finished with the win, pitching 5 innings of no run ball. He fanned six batters and only walked one. This season, Buchholz is 5-2 with a 1.82 ERA and 100 K's in 74 innings pitched.

Buchholz throws a fastball that sits in the low 90's and tops out around 97, a hard 12-6 curve and a plus changeup. He was drafted by the Red Sox in the supplemental first round of the 2005 MLB Draft. Clay was rated by Baseball America as the Red Sox #2 prospect at the beginning of this season. With their starting pitching depth, the Red Sox have no need to rush Buchholz to the majors. He should debut late next season or in early 2009 after gaining some more experience and developing better fastball command. With the graduation of big name pitching prospects Homer Bailey, Yovanni Gallardo, Tim Lincecum and Phil Hughes, Buchholz should be involved in the discussion for best Minor League pitching prospect. Red Sox Nation should be very,very excited about the 22 year old, who has the ability to become one of Boston's all time greats.

RANDOM NOTES

- Coco Crisp has caught fire and is showing why the Sox picked him to replace Johnny Damon. Coco has hit 3 Home Runs the last 3 games. In his last 7 games, Crisp has been 12-23, raising his batting average from .223 to .250.

- Congratulations to Red Sox farm hand, Bubba Bell. The Lancaster outfielder was named the California League All Star Game MVP. Bell went 3-5 with 2 RBI in the game. The 24 year old who has turned himself from a filler into a prospect needs to be promoted to Double A to figure out whether or not most of his success should be attributed to the Lancaster ballpark, which is the biggest launching pad in all of Minor League Baseball. On the season, Bell is batting .347/.440/.604 with 16 Home Runs. He also has ten steals.

- Jeff Francis threw 7 innings, giving up one run on 5 hits, leading the Colorado Rockies to a 6-1 victory over Andy Pettite and the New York Yankees. The Yanks are now 10 games behind the Sox in the AL East standings. HA HA HA!!!