In the days leading to the ALDS, we’ll ask five people -- our four Red Sox pundits and one reader -- to answer five questions about this surprisingly successful Red Sox team.
• Gordon Edes: Indians
Terry Francona’s Indians lost 6 of 7 to the Red Sox in the regular season, were 36-52 against teams .500 or better, and have a closer crisis. Who wouldn’t want to face them instead of the Rays, who have formidable starting pitching and a more productive lineup than in the past? The Tito magic has to run out eventually ... doesn’t it?
• Joe McDonald: Rays
Both the Indians and the Rays are dangerous teams. Let’s start with Cleveland. Like the Red Sox, the Indians are built on character and talent. They’re feeling good about their game right now, finishing the season with 10 straight wins. The Rays, on the other hand, have always found a way to play well against the Red Sox. In the 2008 ALCS, for example, Boston had a better team but Tampa won that series in seven games. This season, Boston posted a 12-7 record against its AL East rival. If forced to choose, I think the Red Sox have a better chance of advancing to the ALCS if they play the Rays.
• Tony Lee: Rays
The general consensus suggests that avoiding the Tampa Bay Rays and their quality starting pitching would be the best-case scenario for the Red Sox.
However, even with David Price, Matt Moore and Alex Cobb, it is a team that has played .500 ball for two months and possesses a marginal offense that averaged 3.0 runs per game in going 7-12 against the Sox.
Also, Price used up 118 more bullets Monday night at Texas, Cobb will be used Wednesday in a do-or-die start in Cleveland and Moore, your Game 1 starter in an ALDS, limped to the finish line with a run of short starts filled with control problems that belie an otherwise solid ERA (20 walks and 26 hits in 29 innings since returning from an elbow injury last month).
The vibe is unique with Terry Francona’s bunch and Boston has not seen the Indians since May, when Cleveland was struggling to stay above .500.
In Maddon’s crew the Red Sox would find a familiar opponent playing in its fourth city in six days on the tail end of an up-and-down stretch run.
Given all that, I’d take my chances with Tampa Bay.
• Kyle Brasseur: Rays
As dangerous as we all know the Rays to be, they have several things going against them already heading into this week. First is a brutal schedule that, with a win over Cleveland on Wednesday, would take the team from Toronto to Texas to Cleveland to Boston in a span of five days.
Then you have the offensive woes of the past two postseason trips for the Rays, which saw them hit .236 as a team in 2011 and .215 in 2010, both the lowest totals among American League postseason teams in their respective years. Their .215 batting average in 2010 was the lowest for an AL postseason team that played five or more games since the Oakland Athletics in 2003 (.213).
And finally, there’s the reality of playing the Indians who, at 21-6, had the best record in the league for the month of September. Fun fact: The last four teams to have the best record in September (the San Francisco Giants in 2012, Detroit Tigers in 2011, Philadelphia Phillies in 2010 and New York Yankees in 2009) at least made it to their league’s Championship Series in their respective years.
Of course, Cleveland also has some guy named Tito at the helm. Francona’s 28-17 postseason record is second-best in MLB history among managers with a minimum of 25 postseason games (Joe McCarthy, 30-13).
• Reader Joe M. from Norwood, Mass.: Indians
To me, this is an easy one. It has to be the Indians, and it's really not even close. The Rays' pitching, although not as strong as it has been in past years, is still somewhat frightening. Cobb and Moore have been outstanding, and although Price has underperformed, I don't think there's anyone that sits up at night hoping they get to face him.
The Indians are talented, no doubt. But they lack any semblance of a major threat in the middle of their order and their rotation isn't deep enough to win a five-game series, especially without ace Justin Masterson. There could be some added motivation given Francona's history in Boston, but the Sox have too much talent for that to be an overriding factor.
Today’s question: Which team would you rather see the Red Sox face in the ALDS, the Rays or Indians?
• Gordon Edes: Indians
Terry Francona’s Indians lost 6 of 7 to the Red Sox in the regular season, were 36-52 against teams .500 or better, and have a closer crisis. Who wouldn’t want to face them instead of the Rays, who have formidable starting pitching and a more productive lineup than in the past? The Tito magic has to run out eventually ... doesn’t it?
• Joe McDonald: Rays
Both the Indians and the Rays are dangerous teams. Let’s start with Cleveland. Like the Red Sox, the Indians are built on character and talent. They’re feeling good about their game right now, finishing the season with 10 straight wins. The Rays, on the other hand, have always found a way to play well against the Red Sox. In the 2008 ALCS, for example, Boston had a better team but Tampa won that series in seven games. This season, Boston posted a 12-7 record against its AL East rival. If forced to choose, I think the Red Sox have a better chance of advancing to the ALCS if they play the Rays.
• Tony Lee: Rays
The general consensus suggests that avoiding the Tampa Bay Rays and their quality starting pitching would be the best-case scenario for the Red Sox.
However, even with David Price, Matt Moore and Alex Cobb, it is a team that has played .500 ball for two months and possesses a marginal offense that averaged 3.0 runs per game in going 7-12 against the Sox.
The vibe is unique with Terry Francona’s bunch and Boston has not seen the Indians since May, when Cleveland was struggling to stay above .500.
In Maddon’s crew the Red Sox would find a familiar opponent playing in its fourth city in six days on the tail end of an up-and-down stretch run.
Given all that, I’d take my chances with Tampa Bay.
• Kyle Brasseur: Rays
As dangerous as we all know the Rays to be, they have several things going against them already heading into this week. First is a brutal schedule that, with a win over Cleveland on Wednesday, would take the team from Toronto to Texas to Cleveland to Boston in a span of five days.
Then you have the offensive woes of the past two postseason trips for the Rays, which saw them hit .236 as a team in 2011 and .215 in 2010, both the lowest totals among American League postseason teams in their respective years. Their .215 batting average in 2010 was the lowest for an AL postseason team that played five or more games since the Oakland Athletics in 2003 (.213).
And finally, there’s the reality of playing the Indians who, at 21-6, had the best record in the league for the month of September. Fun fact: The last four teams to have the best record in September (the San Francisco Giants in 2012, Detroit Tigers in 2011, Philadelphia Phillies in 2010 and New York Yankees in 2009) at least made it to their league’s Championship Series in their respective years.
Of course, Cleveland also has some guy named Tito at the helm. Francona’s 28-17 postseason record is second-best in MLB history among managers with a minimum of 25 postseason games (Joe McCarthy, 30-13).
• Reader Joe M. from Norwood, Mass.: Indians
To me, this is an easy one. It has to be the Indians, and it's really not even close. The Rays' pitching, although not as strong as it has been in past years, is still somewhat frightening. Cobb and Moore have been outstanding, and although Price has underperformed, I don't think there's anyone that sits up at night hoping they get to face him.
The Indians are talented, no doubt. But they lack any semblance of a major threat in the middle of their order and their rotation isn't deep enough to win a five-game series, especially without ace Justin Masterson. There could be some added motivation given Francona's history in Boston, but the Sox have too much talent for that to be an overriding factor.
It’s a safe bet that if ballots were left in front of each locker in the Red Sox clubhouse, asking players to rank their teammates in order of importance, 25 ballots would soon find their way into the nearest trash can. Or 24, with one preserved to shove down the throat of the person who passed out the offending ballots.
The nature of the sport, in which the success of playing every day for six months is predicated on 25 players -- or more likely, 35 to 40 players -- all doing their share for the common good, discourages such exercises in assessing the importance of the individual vs. the collective.
Sure, Dustin Pedroia is obviously more important than Quintin Berry, but who’s to say that with a championship hanging in the balance, Berry won’t be the one asked to steal a base with the Sox facing elimination [Dave Roberts, hello.] This isn’t the NBA, where Pedroia can demand, like LeBron James, that he take the last shot, or the NFL, where Jacoby Ellsbury can call his own number in the huddle. Jon Lester can throw a complete-game shutout in Friday’s division opener, but it will all be for naught if John Lackey, Clay Buchholz and Jake Peavy get knocked around the next three games, or the Sox offense is shut down by the other team.
Still, the exercise is not entirely without merit. It’s a given that when Boston’s opponent in the first round of the playoffs holds its advance scouting meeting, pitchers will be told, ‘We’re not going to let David Ortiz beat us.’ Or, ‘Don’t wait till the ninth to get to the Sox bullpen, because by then, with Uehara on the mound, it will be too late.’
Value judgments are made all the time. Pitch around this guy, run on this catcher, take the extra base on this arm, wait out this pitcher. So, we’ll add our judgments, too, with the caveat that they be taken seriously only as a starting point for conversation and debate, not as a reckoning of a player’s true worth to the team. The Heat can’t win an NBA title without LeBron playing at his best; the Sox can win with Craig Breslow pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth, or Jonny Gomes hitting a pinch homer in the 11th. In baseball, in fact, you can count on those things happening.
Here’s how I rank ‘em, 25 to 1, in order of their importance in October. Also, you can do your own rankings here.
The nature of the sport, in which the success of playing every day for six months is predicated on 25 players -- or more likely, 35 to 40 players -- all doing their share for the common good, discourages such exercises in assessing the importance of the individual vs. the collective.
Sure, Dustin Pedroia is obviously more important than Quintin Berry, but who’s to say that with a championship hanging in the balance, Berry won’t be the one asked to steal a base with the Sox facing elimination [Dave Roberts, hello.] This isn’t the NBA, where Pedroia can demand, like LeBron James, that he take the last shot, or the NFL, where Jacoby Ellsbury can call his own number in the huddle. Jon Lester can throw a complete-game shutout in Friday’s division opener, but it will all be for naught if John Lackey, Clay Buchholz and Jake Peavy get knocked around the next three games, or the Sox offense is shut down by the other team.
Still, the exercise is not entirely without merit. It’s a given that when Boston’s opponent in the first round of the playoffs holds its advance scouting meeting, pitchers will be told, ‘We’re not going to let David Ortiz beat us.’ Or, ‘Don’t wait till the ninth to get to the Sox bullpen, because by then, with Uehara on the mound, it will be too late.’
Value judgments are made all the time. Pitch around this guy, run on this catcher, take the extra base on this arm, wait out this pitcher. So, we’ll add our judgments, too, with the caveat that they be taken seriously only as a starting point for conversation and debate, not as a reckoning of a player’s true worth to the team. The Heat can’t win an NBA title without LeBron playing at his best; the Sox can win with Craig Breslow pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth, or Jonny Gomes hitting a pinch homer in the 11th. In baseball, in fact, you can count on those things happening.
Here’s how I rank ‘em, 25 to 1, in order of their importance in October. Also, you can do your own rankings here.
So it will be either old friend Terry Francona or (sort of) old nemesis the Tampa Bay Rays coming to Fenway Park for the ALDS on Friday afternoon.
Behind a complete-game effort by David Price, the Rays beat the Rangers 5-2 to qualify for the wild-card game against Francona's Indians on Wednesday night in Cleveland.
Price's performance (7 hits, 4 strikeouts, 1 walk, 81 of 118 pitches for strikes) likely will lead some Red Sox fans to root even harder for the Indians. Although Price likely wouldn't face the Red Sox until Saturday's Game 2, he would be lined up on regular rest for Game 5, if things get that far. Matt Moore (2.79 ERA this month, 17-4 on the season, 2-0 against the Sox) figures to be Tampa Bay's Game 1 starter.
The Red Sox were 12-7 against the Rays this season, but Joe Maddon's squad has been a thorn in Boston's side in the past, notably in the 2008 ALCS, which the Rays won in seven games, and in 2011, when they rallied to beat the Yankees and helped push the Sox out of the playoffs on the last night of the regular season. And then there is the series of brawls between the teams that dates back to the Devil Rays/Gerald "Ice" Williams days.
The Sox were 6-1 against the Indians, but didn't play them after May. Cleveland closed the season with 10 straight wins, but they came at the expense of the Astros, White Sox and Twins, three of the worst teams in baseball.
Asked Monday what the key to his team's late-season surge was, Francona couldn't resist referencing the Red Sox collapse under his watch in 2011. "We stayed away from chicken and beer. That helped. Might as well get that out of the way," he cracked.
The probable starters for Wednesday's wild-card game are Danny Salazar (2-3 in 10 career starts) for Cleveland and Alex Cobb (11-3) for the Rays.
Behind a complete-game effort by David Price, the Rays beat the Rangers 5-2 to qualify for the wild-card game against Francona's Indians on Wednesday night in Cleveland.
The Red Sox were 12-7 against the Rays this season, but Joe Maddon's squad has been a thorn in Boston's side in the past, notably in the 2008 ALCS, which the Rays won in seven games, and in 2011, when they rallied to beat the Yankees and helped push the Sox out of the playoffs on the last night of the regular season. And then there is the series of brawls between the teams that dates back to the Devil Rays/Gerald "Ice" Williams days.
The Sox were 6-1 against the Indians, but didn't play them after May. Cleveland closed the season with 10 straight wins, but they came at the expense of the Astros, White Sox and Twins, three of the worst teams in baseball.
Asked Monday what the key to his team's late-season surge was, Francona couldn't resist referencing the Red Sox collapse under his watch in 2011. "We stayed away from chicken and beer. That helped. Might as well get that out of the way," he cracked.
The probable starters for Wednesday's wild-card game are Danny Salazar (2-3 in 10 career starts) for Cleveland and Alex Cobb (11-3) for the Rays.
The Red Sox will open their AL Division Series at 3:07 p.m. Friday at Fenway Park. The Sox will play the winner of Wednesday's wild-card playoff game between the Indians and either the Rays or Rangers (8:07 p.m.).
Game 2 of the ALDS at Fenway will be at 5:37 p.m. on Saturday.
The Sox will be off Sunday before playing Game 3 on the road Monday (time TBA).
Games 1 and 2 will be televised on TBS. Every postseason game will be broadcast on ESPN Radio.
CLICK HERE for the full postseason schedule.
Game 2 of the ALDS at Fenway will be at 5:37 p.m. on Saturday.
The Sox will be off Sunday before playing Game 3 on the road Monday (time TBA).
Games 1 and 2 will be televised on TBS. Every postseason game will be broadcast on ESPN Radio.
CLICK HERE for the full postseason schedule.
SoxProspects: Top 10 in Sox system
September, 30, 2013
Sep 30
5:15
PM ET
By Mike Andrews, SoxProspects.com | ESPNBoston.com
As we close out the regular season, it’s time again to look at the top prospects in the Red Sox farm system.
Much like the case at mid-season, the system is as strong as it has been since early 2007, when the farm included Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz, Dustin Pedroia, Daniel Bard, Justin Masterson, Jed Lowrie, David Murphy, George Kottaras and Brandon Moss.
As Jose Iglesias had already graduated from prospect status by mid-season, the primary difference is that Rubby De La Rosa graduated from prospect status, a few prospects made greater second-half strides to display their potential future value, and second baseman Mookie Betts continued his march to the top 10.
Here's a look at the top 10 prospects in the system at the end of the regular season, as ranked by SoxProspects.com:
1. Xander Bogaerts (20)
SS, Boston
How acquired: Signed as an international free agent out of Aruba in August 2009. $410,000 bonus.
2013 Stats: .250/.320/.364 with 1 home run in 44 at-bats for Boston
.297/388/.477 with 15 home runs in 444 at-bats between Triple-A Pawtucket and Double-A Portland
Scouting Report: Bogaerts remains one of the top prospects in all of baseball. Despite the fact that he’s generally been playing against competition three to four years his senior for the past few seasons, the Aruban shortstop has shown an improved plate approach while maintaining solid power production. Bogaerts has an athletic frame with a lean body type, and couples those attributes with a high baseball IQ, good work ethic, and maturity beyond his years. On offense, his smooth, fluid swing generates a lot of lift on the ball, and he’s able to hit to all fields. The 20-year-old has strong and explosive wrists with good separation during his hitting stride. The ball explodes off his bat, leading to projections that he’ll be an above-average-to-better power hitter with high home-run and run-producing potential. Bogaerts has also made strides in the areas of pitch recognition and strike-zone judgment, and is generally about average in those areas at this point. On defense, he has a slightly above-average arm with short action, solid range, and fringe-average footwork. He’s been able to slow down his game at shortstop, and he's shown that he will have the ability to stick there for the next few years. However, he still may need to move to third base or left field over the long term, depending on his physical growth.
Projection: All-Star
Ceiling: Franchise player
Floor: Average major league regular
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Starting shortstop for Boston
2. Jackie Bradley, Jr. (23)
OF, Boston
How acquired: Drafted in the supplemental first round, 2011. $1,100,000 bonus.
2013 Stats: .189/.280/.337 with 3 home runs in 95 at-bats for Boston.
.275/.374/.469 with 10 home runs in 320 at-bats for Pawtucket
Scouting Report: Bradley’s 2013 season should be viewed in the context that he was originally projected to start the season in Double-A. Assigned to major league camp in spring training, he outplayed every player in camp and made the big club out of the gate, but later went on to spend a majority of the season in Triple-A. It’s not as if Bradley came out of nowhere -- he was considered a mid-to-high first-round pick in college, but fell to the supplemental round in 2011 due to a wrist injury. Hitting from an open stance, he closes down well on pitch approach to keep himself balanced. Overall, Bradley is an above-average contact hitter with quick hands, fluid mechanics, an upward swing plane, solid bat control, and a disciplined approach. However, he can overextend on occasion and struggle with balls on the inner third of the plate. Bradley’s power projection is slightly below-average at this point, but it’s possible he fills out and adds more strength. He has average speed, and perhaps below-average speed compared with other major league center fielders, but he’s a smart runner on the base paths and should steal 10 bases a year or so. On defense, he’s a very polished outfielder who projects to stay in center field over the long haul. He has shown strong instincts, solid range, a plus arm, and a reliable glove. Despite struggles in early stints with the big club this season, Bradley is still in line to replace Jacoby Ellsbury if he leaves via free agency this off-season.
Projection: Above-average major league regular
Ceiling: Occasional All-Star center fielder
Floor: Solid fourth outfielder
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Starting center fielder for Boston
3. Garin Cecchini (22)
3B, Portland
How acquired: Drafted in the fourth round, 2010. $1,310,000 bonus.
2013 Stats: .322/.443/.471 with 7 home runs in 243 at-bats between Portland and High-A Salem
Scouting Report: A tall, athletic third baseman with strong all-around tools, Cecchini has a sweet swing with outstanding bat speed. He’s a plus contact hitter with outstanding plate discipline and the ability to hit the ball to all fields with gap power. He has below-average present power with the potential to develop into a lightly above-average power hitter. At 22, he has decent speed and excellent baseball instincts. But while Cecchini has already stolen 86 bases over his 254 game minor league career, he doesn’t project to be a major stolen base threat at the major league level -- his speed has the potential to decline as his size and power increase. On defense, he can use some refinement with his reactions and footwork, but he has a nice glove with a plus arm. He’s also a smart player with the ability to learn quickly and make proper adjustments. At best, he’ll be an average major league defender at third base, but it will take some continued improvement to get there.
Projection: Above-average major league regular
Ceiling: All-Star third baseman
Floor: Bench player
2014 Opening Day Prediction: On the bubble between Portland and Pawtucket
4. Henry Owens (21)
LHP, Portland
How acquired: Drafted in the supplemental first round, 2011. $1,550,000 bonus.
2013 Stats: 11-6, 2.67 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 169 strikeouts, 68 walks in 135.0 innings for Portland and Salem
Scouting Report: Owens is a tall, lanky lefty who has a lot of room to fill out and add strength. He has a smooth, deceptive delivery and a mature demeanor on the hill. His fastball presently sits in the 88-92 mph range with decent movement, and inconsistently tops out at 94 mph. He should be able to add sitting velocity if and when he fills out. He currently throws his fastball with below-average command, which is another area of developmental need. Owens’ best secondary pitch is an excellent mid-70s deep breaking curveball, a potential plus offering that he can also loop in the mid-60s to keep hitters off balance. The left-hander also mixes in a steadily improving above-average low-80s changeup with subpar command. Overall, while he was dominant at age-advanced levels in 2013, he will need to add some strength and stamina, improve his command, and continue to refine his changeup if he’s to post anything akin to those numbers at the major league level. At this stage, he profiles as a No. 3 or No. 4 type starter for a first-division club like Boston, but the ceiling is still there to develop into a No. 2 starter if he makes significant improvements with his velocity and command.
Projection: No. 3 or No. 4 Starter
Ceiling: No. 2 starter
Floor: Minor leaguer
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Opening day starter for Portland
5. Matt Barnes (23)
RHP, Pawtucket
How acquired: Drafted in the first round, 2011. $1,500,000 bonus.
2013 Stats: 6-10, 4.13 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 142 strikeouts, 28 walks in 113.1 innings between Portland and Pawtucket
Scouting Report: A tall right-hander with a projectable body and a repeatable delivery, Boston picked up Barnes out of the University of Connecticut with the 19th overall pick in the 2011 draft. He was considered a potential top-10 pick after an excellent summer in 2010 with Team USA, but his stock fell due to the impressive pitching depth in the 2011 draft class. In 2012 -- his first professional season -- he was outstanding for the first half, but hit a wall in the second half of the year with Salem. While his stats weren’t eye-popping in 2013, he made advances in his developmental areas, including refinement of his secondary pitches and increased stamina. Barnes’ fastball currently sits in the 91-95 mph range and tops out at 98 mph. His command and control were identified as negatives coming out of college, showed improvement in 2012, but were inconsistent in 2013. His 74-77 mph curveball is his best secondary pitch, grading out as average to solid-average with plus potential. He also mixes in a fringe-average to average mid-80s changeup. It seems feasible that Barnes could add another pitch such as a slider or a cutter to his repertoire in 2014, which would increase the likelihood that he hits his ceiling. Fans should be encouraged by the fact that he showed improvement in July and August, a contrast to his 2012 season.
Projection: No. 4 Starter
Ceiling: No. 3 Starter
Floor: Long reliever
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Pawtucket starting rotation
6. Anthony Ranaudo (24)
RHP, Pawtucket
How acquired: Drafted in the supplemental first round, 2010. $2,550,000 bonus.
2013 Stats: 11-5, 2.96 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 127 strikeouts, 47 walks in 140.0 innings between Portland and Pawtucket
Scouting Report: Will the real Anthony Ranaudo please stand up? The tall right-hander has mixed periods of absolute dominance with extended periods of mediocrity since he led LSU to a national championship as a sophomore in 2009. He dropped from a Top 3 pick to the supplemental round after a subpar junior season, followed that up with a dominant performance in the Cape Cod League in 2010, a solid first half with Low-A Greenville in 2011, a mediocre stint with Salem in the second half of that season, a poor showing in 2012 with Portland, and then went on to have an outstanding campaign in 2013 with Portland and Pawtucket. That inconsistency is likely the result of mechanical and confidence issues, but the hope is that the 24-year-old finally put it all together this season. At 6-foot-7, 230 pounds, Ranaudo has a perfect pitcher’s frame. His fastball sits in the 92-94 mph range and topped out around 96 mph in 2013. He has thrown at higher velocities in the past, but he’s been able to hone his command a bit in this range. He also features a plus 78-82-mph hammer curveball and a fringe-average low-80s changeup. His developmental needs include keeping a consistent delivery point, working on getting past bad innings and bad outings, and refining his changeup. With polish in those areas, he has the potential to be a very good major league starter. However, the confidence issues could be an area of concern in the Boston market.
Projection: No. 4 Starter
Ceiling: No. 3 Starter
Floor: Long reliever
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Pawtucket starting rotation
7. Allen Webster (23)
RHP, Boston
How acquired: Acquired from the L.A. Dodgers with James Loney, Ivan De Jesus, Rubby De La Rosa, and Jerry Sands for Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett, Nick Punto, and cash considerations (Aug. 2012).
2013 Stats: 1-2, 8.60 ERA, 1.81 WHIP, 23 strikeouts, 18 walks in 30.1 innings for Boston
8-4, 3.60 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 116 strikeouts, 43 walks in 105.0 innings for Pawtucket
Scouting Report: Webster is a ground-ball pitcher with a lean, projectable frame and excellent athleticism. His delivery is smooth, but he can short-arm the ball on occasion, losing his release point. The 23-year-old’s fastball sits in the 92-95-mph range and tops out at 98 mph, showing strong sinking movement and late life. Webster throws the pitch with below-average command and control. While he has outstanding stuff, he really needs to improve his ability to limit walks and keep the ball down in the zone to solidify himself as a major league starter. His mid-80s changeup has good movement and deception, grading out as a plus pitch. He also features an above-average 83-87-mph slider with tight rotation and late bite. He’s able to generate a lot of swings and misses with his secondary pitches. From a makeup standpoint, Webster is aggressive on the mound, but has had some struggles with confidence and composure in 2013. His ability to put bad outings behind him had previously been a strong suit.
Projection: No. 4 or No. 5 Starter
Ceiling: No. 3 Starter
Floor: Long reliever
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Pawtucket starting rotation
8. Blake Swihart (21)
C, Salem
How acquired: Drafted in the first round, 2011. $2,500,000 bonus.
2013 Stats: .298/.366/.428 with 2 home runs in 376 at-bats for Salem
Scouting Report: Swihart is an athletic, switch-hitting catcher with a fluid swing from both sides of the plate. While he hasn't posted eye-popping stats during his time in the system, scouts are still very impressed with his skill set and potential. He profiles as an above-average contact hitter with plus bat speed and explosive hands. He’s still young, and needs work on his plate approach and pitch recognition. While he’s a bit undersized for a catcher and shows below-average present power, Swihart has solid-to-average home-run power potential. On defense, he’s fluid and agile, and has excellent reflexes, a plus arm, and a smooth release. He made major strides in 2013, taking home the Red Sox Minor League Defensive Player of the Year. He absolutely has the tools to work as backstop for the long term, but it’s still not totally clear that Swihart has the frame to endure the rigors of catching every day. He should have the athleticism and the bat to move to second base if necessary.
Projection: Average major league regular
Ceiling: All-Star catcher
Floor: Minor leaguer
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Portland starting catcher
9. Trey Ball (19)
LHP, Rookie-Level GCL Red Sox
How acquired: Drafted in the first round (No. 7 overall) in 2013. Reportedly signed to a $2,750,000 bonus on June 19.
2013 Stats: 0-1, 6.43 ERA, 2.29 WHIP, 5 strikeouts, 6 walks in 7.0 innings with the GCL Red Sox
Scouting Report: At 6-foot-6 and 180 pounds, Ball has tons of projection in his frame. The 19-year-old southpaw's fastball already gets up to 92-94 mph, and he has the potential to add a good deal of sitting velocity as he physically matures in the coming years. He also throws a developing mid-70s deep-breaking curveball with plus potential -- a pitch that his father did not let him throw until he was a junior in high school in order to limit injury risk. His third pitch is a solid 78-82-mph changeup, which is still a work-in-progress but has above-average major league potential. He throws all of his pitches with an easy, repeatable delivery and a clean arm action. An outstanding athlete, Ball was committed to the University of Texas as both a pitcher and center fielder before signing with Boston. While he sits at No. 9 in the rankings right now, he's the type of high-ceiling prospect that could be in the top three within a year. The spread is very wide between his floor and ceiling.
Projection: Middle-to-back-of-the-rotation starter
Ceiling: No. 1 Starter
Floor: Minor leaguer
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Greenville starting rotation
10. Mookie Betts (20)
2B, Salem
How acquired: Drafted in the fifth round, 2011. $750,000 bonus.
2012 Stats: .314/.417/.506 with 15 home runs and 38 stolen bases in 462 at-bats for Salem and Greenville
Scouting Report: Betts entered the season as an fringy prospect with high upside. After a phenomenal showing in 2013, he's now on most scouts' radars as a potential impact major league contributor. Back in 2011, Betts was a four-sport star committed to playing at Tennessee, but the Sox were able to scoop him up with a generous bonus for a fifth-round pick. The small-framed infielder has plus speed and the ability to impact the game with his legs, a compact and level swing, and a solid-average hit tool. He has also displayed a disciplined approach for his age, with the ability to work counts, use excellent strike zone judgment, and not get overly aggressive. While he flashed some power in 2013, his power still projects as below-average, but that’s certainly an area where he can prove doubters wrong. A former shortstop, Betts is a plus defensive player with an above-average arm, fluid footwork, a soft glove, and good instincts. He can still use some work on charging infield grounders. Likely blocked at second base in the Red Sox organization, he'll be given the opportunity to play shortstop and outfield at the higher levels of the system.
Projection: Utility infielder
Ceiling: Average first division starter
Floor: Minor leaguer
Much like the case at mid-season, the system is as strong as it has been since early 2007, when the farm included Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz, Dustin Pedroia, Daniel Bard, Justin Masterson, Jed Lowrie, David Murphy, George Kottaras and Brandon Moss.
As Jose Iglesias had already graduated from prospect status by mid-season, the primary difference is that Rubby De La Rosa graduated from prospect status, a few prospects made greater second-half strides to display their potential future value, and second baseman Mookie Betts continued his march to the top 10.
Here's a look at the top 10 prospects in the system at the end of the regular season, as ranked by SoxProspects.com:
1. Xander Bogaerts (20)
SS, Boston
How acquired: Signed as an international free agent out of Aruba in August 2009. $410,000 bonus.
2013 Stats: .250/.320/.364 with 1 home run in 44 at-bats for Boston
.297/388/.477 with 15 home runs in 444 at-bats between Triple-A Pawtucket and Double-A Portland
Scouting Report: Bogaerts remains one of the top prospects in all of baseball. Despite the fact that he’s generally been playing against competition three to four years his senior for the past few seasons, the Aruban shortstop has shown an improved plate approach while maintaining solid power production. Bogaerts has an athletic frame with a lean body type, and couples those attributes with a high baseball IQ, good work ethic, and maturity beyond his years. On offense, his smooth, fluid swing generates a lot of lift on the ball, and he’s able to hit to all fields. The 20-year-old has strong and explosive wrists with good separation during his hitting stride. The ball explodes off his bat, leading to projections that he’ll be an above-average-to-better power hitter with high home-run and run-producing potential. Bogaerts has also made strides in the areas of pitch recognition and strike-zone judgment, and is generally about average in those areas at this point. On defense, he has a slightly above-average arm with short action, solid range, and fringe-average footwork. He’s been able to slow down his game at shortstop, and he's shown that he will have the ability to stick there for the next few years. However, he still may need to move to third base or left field over the long term, depending on his physical growth.
Projection: All-Star
Ceiling: Franchise player
Floor: Average major league regular
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Starting shortstop for Boston
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Michael Ivins/Boston Red Sox/Getty ImagesJackie Bradley Jr. is still in line to replace Jacoby Ellsbury if he leaves via free agency this offseason.
OF, Boston
How acquired: Drafted in the supplemental first round, 2011. $1,100,000 bonus.
2013 Stats: .189/.280/.337 with 3 home runs in 95 at-bats for Boston.
.275/.374/.469 with 10 home runs in 320 at-bats for Pawtucket
Scouting Report: Bradley’s 2013 season should be viewed in the context that he was originally projected to start the season in Double-A. Assigned to major league camp in spring training, he outplayed every player in camp and made the big club out of the gate, but later went on to spend a majority of the season in Triple-A. It’s not as if Bradley came out of nowhere -- he was considered a mid-to-high first-round pick in college, but fell to the supplemental round in 2011 due to a wrist injury. Hitting from an open stance, he closes down well on pitch approach to keep himself balanced. Overall, Bradley is an above-average contact hitter with quick hands, fluid mechanics, an upward swing plane, solid bat control, and a disciplined approach. However, he can overextend on occasion and struggle with balls on the inner third of the plate. Bradley’s power projection is slightly below-average at this point, but it’s possible he fills out and adds more strength. He has average speed, and perhaps below-average speed compared with other major league center fielders, but he’s a smart runner on the base paths and should steal 10 bases a year or so. On defense, he’s a very polished outfielder who projects to stay in center field over the long haul. He has shown strong instincts, solid range, a plus arm, and a reliable glove. Despite struggles in early stints with the big club this season, Bradley is still in line to replace Jacoby Ellsbury if he leaves via free agency this off-season.
Projection: Above-average major league regular
Ceiling: Occasional All-Star center fielder
Floor: Solid fourth outfielder
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Starting center fielder for Boston
3. Garin Cecchini (22)
3B, Portland
How acquired: Drafted in the fourth round, 2010. $1,310,000 bonus.
2013 Stats: .322/.443/.471 with 7 home runs in 243 at-bats between Portland and High-A Salem
Scouting Report: A tall, athletic third baseman with strong all-around tools, Cecchini has a sweet swing with outstanding bat speed. He’s a plus contact hitter with outstanding plate discipline and the ability to hit the ball to all fields with gap power. He has below-average present power with the potential to develop into a lightly above-average power hitter. At 22, he has decent speed and excellent baseball instincts. But while Cecchini has already stolen 86 bases over his 254 game minor league career, he doesn’t project to be a major stolen base threat at the major league level -- his speed has the potential to decline as his size and power increase. On defense, he can use some refinement with his reactions and footwork, but he has a nice glove with a plus arm. He’s also a smart player with the ability to learn quickly and make proper adjustments. At best, he’ll be an average major league defender at third base, but it will take some continued improvement to get there.
Projection: Above-average major league regular
Ceiling: All-Star third baseman
Floor: Bench player
2014 Opening Day Prediction: On the bubble between Portland and Pawtucket
4. Henry Owens (21)
LHP, Portland
How acquired: Drafted in the supplemental first round, 2011. $1,550,000 bonus.
2013 Stats: 11-6, 2.67 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 169 strikeouts, 68 walks in 135.0 innings for Portland and Salem
Scouting Report: Owens is a tall, lanky lefty who has a lot of room to fill out and add strength. He has a smooth, deceptive delivery and a mature demeanor on the hill. His fastball presently sits in the 88-92 mph range with decent movement, and inconsistently tops out at 94 mph. He should be able to add sitting velocity if and when he fills out. He currently throws his fastball with below-average command, which is another area of developmental need. Owens’ best secondary pitch is an excellent mid-70s deep breaking curveball, a potential plus offering that he can also loop in the mid-60s to keep hitters off balance. The left-hander also mixes in a steadily improving above-average low-80s changeup with subpar command. Overall, while he was dominant at age-advanced levels in 2013, he will need to add some strength and stamina, improve his command, and continue to refine his changeup if he’s to post anything akin to those numbers at the major league level. At this stage, he profiles as a No. 3 or No. 4 type starter for a first-division club like Boston, but the ceiling is still there to develop into a No. 2 starter if he makes significant improvements with his velocity and command.
Projection: No. 3 or No. 4 Starter
Ceiling: No. 2 starter
Floor: Minor leaguer
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Opening day starter for Portland
5. Matt Barnes (23)
RHP, Pawtucket
How acquired: Drafted in the first round, 2011. $1,500,000 bonus.
2013 Stats: 6-10, 4.13 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 142 strikeouts, 28 walks in 113.1 innings between Portland and Pawtucket
Scouting Report: A tall right-hander with a projectable body and a repeatable delivery, Boston picked up Barnes out of the University of Connecticut with the 19th overall pick in the 2011 draft. He was considered a potential top-10 pick after an excellent summer in 2010 with Team USA, but his stock fell due to the impressive pitching depth in the 2011 draft class. In 2012 -- his first professional season -- he was outstanding for the first half, but hit a wall in the second half of the year with Salem. While his stats weren’t eye-popping in 2013, he made advances in his developmental areas, including refinement of his secondary pitches and increased stamina. Barnes’ fastball currently sits in the 91-95 mph range and tops out at 98 mph. His command and control were identified as negatives coming out of college, showed improvement in 2012, but were inconsistent in 2013. His 74-77 mph curveball is his best secondary pitch, grading out as average to solid-average with plus potential. He also mixes in a fringe-average to average mid-80s changeup. It seems feasible that Barnes could add another pitch such as a slider or a cutter to his repertoire in 2014, which would increase the likelihood that he hits his ceiling. Fans should be encouraged by the fact that he showed improvement in July and August, a contrast to his 2012 season.
Projection: No. 4 Starter
Ceiling: No. 3 Starter
Floor: Long reliever
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Pawtucket starting rotation
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Ken Babbitt/Four Seam/AP PhotoInconsistency has plagued right-hander Anthony Ranaudo, but a strong 2013 season could mean he's turned a corner.
RHP, Pawtucket
How acquired: Drafted in the supplemental first round, 2010. $2,550,000 bonus.
2013 Stats: 11-5, 2.96 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 127 strikeouts, 47 walks in 140.0 innings between Portland and Pawtucket
Scouting Report: Will the real Anthony Ranaudo please stand up? The tall right-hander has mixed periods of absolute dominance with extended periods of mediocrity since he led LSU to a national championship as a sophomore in 2009. He dropped from a Top 3 pick to the supplemental round after a subpar junior season, followed that up with a dominant performance in the Cape Cod League in 2010, a solid first half with Low-A Greenville in 2011, a mediocre stint with Salem in the second half of that season, a poor showing in 2012 with Portland, and then went on to have an outstanding campaign in 2013 with Portland and Pawtucket. That inconsistency is likely the result of mechanical and confidence issues, but the hope is that the 24-year-old finally put it all together this season. At 6-foot-7, 230 pounds, Ranaudo has a perfect pitcher’s frame. His fastball sits in the 92-94 mph range and topped out around 96 mph in 2013. He has thrown at higher velocities in the past, but he’s been able to hone his command a bit in this range. He also features a plus 78-82-mph hammer curveball and a fringe-average low-80s changeup. His developmental needs include keeping a consistent delivery point, working on getting past bad innings and bad outings, and refining his changeup. With polish in those areas, he has the potential to be a very good major league starter. However, the confidence issues could be an area of concern in the Boston market.
Projection: No. 4 Starter
Ceiling: No. 3 Starter
Floor: Long reliever
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Pawtucket starting rotation
7. Allen Webster (23)
RHP, Boston
How acquired: Acquired from the L.A. Dodgers with James Loney, Ivan De Jesus, Rubby De La Rosa, and Jerry Sands for Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett, Nick Punto, and cash considerations (Aug. 2012).
2013 Stats: 1-2, 8.60 ERA, 1.81 WHIP, 23 strikeouts, 18 walks in 30.1 innings for Boston
8-4, 3.60 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 116 strikeouts, 43 walks in 105.0 innings for Pawtucket
Scouting Report: Webster is a ground-ball pitcher with a lean, projectable frame and excellent athleticism. His delivery is smooth, but he can short-arm the ball on occasion, losing his release point. The 23-year-old’s fastball sits in the 92-95-mph range and tops out at 98 mph, showing strong sinking movement and late life. Webster throws the pitch with below-average command and control. While he has outstanding stuff, he really needs to improve his ability to limit walks and keep the ball down in the zone to solidify himself as a major league starter. His mid-80s changeup has good movement and deception, grading out as a plus pitch. He also features an above-average 83-87-mph slider with tight rotation and late bite. He’s able to generate a lot of swings and misses with his secondary pitches. From a makeup standpoint, Webster is aggressive on the mound, but has had some struggles with confidence and composure in 2013. His ability to put bad outings behind him had previously been a strong suit.
Projection: No. 4 or No. 5 Starter
Ceiling: No. 3 Starter
Floor: Long reliever
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Pawtucket starting rotation
8. Blake Swihart (21)
C, Salem
How acquired: Drafted in the first round, 2011. $2,500,000 bonus.
2013 Stats: .298/.366/.428 with 2 home runs in 376 at-bats for Salem
Scouting Report: Swihart is an athletic, switch-hitting catcher with a fluid swing from both sides of the plate. While he hasn't posted eye-popping stats during his time in the system, scouts are still very impressed with his skill set and potential. He profiles as an above-average contact hitter with plus bat speed and explosive hands. He’s still young, and needs work on his plate approach and pitch recognition. While he’s a bit undersized for a catcher and shows below-average present power, Swihart has solid-to-average home-run power potential. On defense, he’s fluid and agile, and has excellent reflexes, a plus arm, and a smooth release. He made major strides in 2013, taking home the Red Sox Minor League Defensive Player of the Year. He absolutely has the tools to work as backstop for the long term, but it’s still not totally clear that Swihart has the frame to endure the rigors of catching every day. He should have the athleticism and the bat to move to second base if necessary.
Projection: Average major league regular
Ceiling: All-Star catcher
Floor: Minor leaguer
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Portland starting catcher
9. Trey Ball (19)
LHP, Rookie-Level GCL Red Sox
How acquired: Drafted in the first round (No. 7 overall) in 2013. Reportedly signed to a $2,750,000 bonus on June 19.
2013 Stats: 0-1, 6.43 ERA, 2.29 WHIP, 5 strikeouts, 6 walks in 7.0 innings with the GCL Red Sox
Scouting Report: At 6-foot-6 and 180 pounds, Ball has tons of projection in his frame. The 19-year-old southpaw's fastball already gets up to 92-94 mph, and he has the potential to add a good deal of sitting velocity as he physically matures in the coming years. He also throws a developing mid-70s deep-breaking curveball with plus potential -- a pitch that his father did not let him throw until he was a junior in high school in order to limit injury risk. His third pitch is a solid 78-82-mph changeup, which is still a work-in-progress but has above-average major league potential. He throws all of his pitches with an easy, repeatable delivery and a clean arm action. An outstanding athlete, Ball was committed to the University of Texas as both a pitcher and center fielder before signing with Boston. While he sits at No. 9 in the rankings right now, he's the type of high-ceiling prospect that could be in the top three within a year. The spread is very wide between his floor and ceiling.
Projection: Middle-to-back-of-the-rotation starter
Ceiling: No. 1 Starter
Floor: Minor leaguer
2014 Opening Day Prediction: Greenville starting rotation
10. Mookie Betts (20)
2B, Salem
How acquired: Drafted in the fifth round, 2011. $750,000 bonus.
2012 Stats: .314/.417/.506 with 15 home runs and 38 stolen bases in 462 at-bats for Salem and Greenville
Scouting Report: Betts entered the season as an fringy prospect with high upside. After a phenomenal showing in 2013, he's now on most scouts' radars as a potential impact major league contributor. Back in 2011, Betts was a four-sport star committed to playing at Tennessee, but the Sox were able to scoop him up with a generous bonus for a fifth-round pick. The small-framed infielder has plus speed and the ability to impact the game with his legs, a compact and level swing, and a solid-average hit tool. He has also displayed a disciplined approach for his age, with the ability to work counts, use excellent strike zone judgment, and not get overly aggressive. While he flashed some power in 2013, his power still projects as below-average, but that’s certainly an area where he can prove doubters wrong. A former shortstop, Betts is a plus defensive player with an above-average arm, fluid footwork, a soft glove, and good instincts. He can still use some work on charging infield grounders. Likely blocked at second base in the Red Sox organization, he'll be given the opportunity to play shortstop and outfield at the higher levels of the system.
Projection: Utility infielder
Ceiling: Average first division starter
Floor: Minor leaguer
In the days leading to the ALDS, we’ll ask five people -- our four Red Sox pundits and one reader -- to answer five questions about this surprisingly successful Red Sox team.
• Gordon Edes: Sox made the most of their do-over
It all changed for the Red Sox on Aug. 25, 2012, when through a fortuitous set of circumstances the Sox were able to execute a transformative trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, unloading the players they thought would be their foundational pieces for the rest of the decade -- Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, along with Josh Beckett and Nick Punto -- and freeing up $262 million in the process.
No one gets to hit the reset button the way the Sox did when they found a willing buyer in the Dodgers, who had just gone through an ownership change that left them flush with cash and a desire to make a huge impression on a fan base turned off by the greed of bankrupt owner Frank McCourt. The trade required a coordinated effort from ownership and GM Ben Cherington to execute, and a mutual acknowledgment that the previous master plan was an abject failure.
Given the chance to do it differently, Cherington and new manager John Farrell proceeded to reshape the roster, with the added focus of identifying good players who wanted to play in Boston and would thrive there. That may not be the textbook definition of “character,” but the Sox obviously found the right characters for this market.
• Joe McDonald: The right guys at the right time
This transformation has everything to do with the changes Cherington made during the offseason. Hiring Farrell gave the manager instant credibility in the clubhouse. Once he was in place, Cherington and Farrell built the roster from the clubhouse out, stressing both character and talent. Cherington complemented the core with well-respected guys like Jonny Gomes, Shane Victorino, David Ross, Mike Napoli and Mike Carp.
The chemistry this team had was evident as early as spring training, and it never waned throughout the summer and now into fall.
• Tony Lee: Holdovers had something to prove
The impact of imports Victorino, Napoli, Gomes, Koji Uehara and others was massive. However, what has elevated the Red Sox has been the return to form of the holdovers, the very ones who languished through 2012, either healthy or not.
John Lackey transitioned from a sidelined malcontent (in the eyes of some) to a cap-doffing workhorse. Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz saw their combined ERAs drop from 4.70 to 3.08. Jacoby Ellsbury and David Ortiz played in the same game 12 times in 2012. They were lineup linchpins this year alongside Dustin Pedroia, who saw upticks at the plate and produced perhaps the best defensive year ever for a Red Sox second baseman.
It is impossible to quantify the effect of improved chemistry, but Victorino & Co. could not have an impact until they were welcomed to the fold by revitalized remnants.
• Kyle Brasseur: Forget chemistry, it’s consistency
This Red Sox team never fell below .500 at any point this season, never lost four or more games consecutively and was swept only once all season. Meanwhile, last year’s Red Sox team was swept in their first series of the year and had lost four games in a row 13 games into the season. There’s a lot of stock to put into the character/chemistry argument; the players and coaching staff on this team picked each other up after tough losses and never let things spiral out of control. Here they are, in the postseason 97 wins later.
• Reader Mike P. from Mystic, Conn.: Sox earned my respect back
A well-respected manager and healthy, talented players get you lots of wins, and I think those factors probably account for the great chemistry, more so than the other way around. But those factors don't guarantee the chemistry either. IMO, the great chemistry and character of this team, while maybe not the major factor in a successful season, certainly adds the icing on the cake and maybe, just maybe, provides the extra little edge that could propel this team to a championship. At a minimum, it accounts for the feeling on the part of lots of Red Sox fans that this team, that we were so disappointed in last year, has done all the right things to regain our respect and loyalty. And, since I watch almost every Red Sox game on TV (and go to a few at Fenway, as well), I can honestly say that the chemistry and character of this team has made watching the Red Sox fun again.
Click HERE to submit your question for consideration for our #5for5 series the rest of the week.
Today’s question: What’s the biggest reason for the Red Sox’s worst-to-first transformation? And how much stock do you put in the character/chemistry argument?
• Gordon Edes: Sox made the most of their do-over
It all changed for the Red Sox on Aug. 25, 2012, when through a fortuitous set of circumstances the Sox were able to execute a transformative trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, unloading the players they thought would be their foundational pieces for the rest of the decade -- Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, along with Josh Beckett and Nick Punto -- and freeing up $262 million in the process.
Given the chance to do it differently, Cherington and new manager John Farrell proceeded to reshape the roster, with the added focus of identifying good players who wanted to play in Boston and would thrive there. That may not be the textbook definition of “character,” but the Sox obviously found the right characters for this market.
• Joe McDonald: The right guys at the right time
This transformation has everything to do with the changes Cherington made during the offseason. Hiring Farrell gave the manager instant credibility in the clubhouse. Once he was in place, Cherington and Farrell built the roster from the clubhouse out, stressing both character and talent. Cherington complemented the core with well-respected guys like Jonny Gomes, Shane Victorino, David Ross, Mike Napoli and Mike Carp.
The chemistry this team had was evident as early as spring training, and it never waned throughout the summer and now into fall.
• Tony Lee: Holdovers had something to prove
The impact of imports Victorino, Napoli, Gomes, Koji Uehara and others was massive. However, what has elevated the Red Sox has been the return to form of the holdovers, the very ones who languished through 2012, either healthy or not.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Michael DwyerClay Buchholz (12-1, 1.74 ERA) and Jon Lester (15-8, 3.75 ERA) played a major part in the Red Sox's turnaround.
It is impossible to quantify the effect of improved chemistry, but Victorino & Co. could not have an impact until they were welcomed to the fold by revitalized remnants.
• Kyle Brasseur: Forget chemistry, it’s consistency
This Red Sox team never fell below .500 at any point this season, never lost four or more games consecutively and was swept only once all season. Meanwhile, last year’s Red Sox team was swept in their first series of the year and had lost four games in a row 13 games into the season. There’s a lot of stock to put into the character/chemistry argument; the players and coaching staff on this team picked each other up after tough losses and never let things spiral out of control. Here they are, in the postseason 97 wins later.
• Reader Mike P. from Mystic, Conn.: Sox earned my respect back
A well-respected manager and healthy, talented players get you lots of wins, and I think those factors probably account for the great chemistry, more so than the other way around. But those factors don't guarantee the chemistry either. IMO, the great chemistry and character of this team, while maybe not the major factor in a successful season, certainly adds the icing on the cake and maybe, just maybe, provides the extra little edge that could propel this team to a championship. At a minimum, it accounts for the feeling on the part of lots of Red Sox fans that this team, that we were so disappointed in last year, has done all the right things to regain our respect and loyalty. And, since I watch almost every Red Sox game on TV (and go to a few at Fenway, as well), I can honestly say that the chemistry and character of this team has made watching the Red Sox fun again.
Click HERE to submit your question for consideration for our #5for5 series the rest of the week.
The chips fell the right way for the Red Sox on Sunday, the Rays and Rangers both winning to set up a one-game playoff tonight, the winner of which will face the Indians on Wednesday for the right to play Boston in the ALDS.
However, if you figured the Red Sox wouldn’t have to face a No. 1-type starter in Game 1 at Fenway on Friday night, you’d be mistaken.
The Indians’ Ubaldo Jimenez (4-0 with a 1.09 ERA in September), the Rays’ Matt Moore (2.79 ERA this month and 17-4 on the season, though probably more of a No. 2 than a No. 1) and the Rangers’ Yu Darvish (2.40 ERA in his past five starts; AL strikeouts leader) all pitched Sunday, which would set each of them up to pitch on regular rest against the Red Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS.
Moore is 2-0 in two starts against the Red Sox this season. Darvish faced Boston once, striking out 14 in 7 innings in a 4-3 Rangers win on May 5. Jimenez also faced the Red Sox just once this season. He was knocked out in the second inning after allowing seven runs on two hits and five walks, but that was back on April 16, in his third start of the season.
Terry Francona’s Cleveland club has won 10 straight and 15 of 17 to earn its first postseason berth since 2007. Jimenez tied a career high with 13 strikeouts Sunday.
"I just hope we get to keep playing," Francona said after Sunday’s wild-card clinching win. "We don't want to go home."
The Indians are starting Danny Salazar (2-3, 3.12 ERA) in Wednesday’s wild card game. Tonight’s one-game playoff for the second wild card spot pits Rays ace David Price (9-8, 3.39 ERA) against rookie Martin Perez (10-5, 3.55 ERA) in Arlington, Texas.
The Indians’ Ubaldo Jimenez (4-0 with a 1.09 ERA in September), the Rays’ Matt Moore (2.79 ERA this month and 17-4 on the season, though probably more of a No. 2 than a No. 1) and the Rangers’ Yu Darvish (2.40 ERA in his past five starts; AL strikeouts leader) all pitched Sunday, which would set each of them up to pitch on regular rest against the Red Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS.
Moore is 2-0 in two starts against the Red Sox this season. Darvish faced Boston once, striking out 14 in 7 innings in a 4-3 Rangers win on May 5. Jimenez also faced the Red Sox just once this season. He was knocked out in the second inning after allowing seven runs on two hits and five walks, but that was back on April 16, in his third start of the season.
Terry Francona’s Cleveland club has won 10 straight and 15 of 17 to earn its first postseason berth since 2007. Jimenez tied a career high with 13 strikeouts Sunday.
"I just hope we get to keep playing," Francona said after Sunday’s wild-card clinching win. "We don't want to go home."
The Indians are starting Danny Salazar (2-3, 3.12 ERA) in Wednesday’s wild card game. Tonight’s one-game playoff for the second wild card spot pits Rays ace David Price (9-8, 3.39 ERA) against rookie Martin Perez (10-5, 3.55 ERA) in Arlington, Texas.
12 notable player achievements
September, 29, 2013
Sep 29
6:53
PM ET
By
Gordon Edes | ESPNBoston.com
BALTIMORE -- Here are a dozen notable individual achievements by Red Sox players in 2013:
* Center-fielder Jacoby Ellsbury led the majors in stolen bases with 52 and was caught just four times, which is a stolen base percentage of 92.9 percent and the highest ever for a player with 50 or more steals.
* Designated hitter David Ortiz had his seventh season of 30-plus home runs and 100-plus RBIs, tying the club record held by Ted Williams. Ortiz became just the seventh player 37 or older to hit .300 or better with 30-plus homers and 100-plus RBIs.
* Second baseman Dustin Pedroia led all Red Sox players with a WAR (Wins Above Replacement) of 6.5, which ranked sixth in the league. Pedroia, who played in a career-high 160 games, also had a defensive WAR of 2.4, behind only third baseman Manny Machado of the Orioles and outfielder Lorenzo Cain of the Royals.
* Koji Uehara retired a club-record 37 straight batters with a career-best 30 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings. He was first among AL relievers in ERA, strikeout-to-walk ratio, WHIP, walks per 9, and opponents’ batting average.
* Jon Lester pitched a career-high 213 1/3 innings and went 15-8, the fifth time in the last six seasons he has won at least 15 games. His earned run average of 3.75 was more than a full point better than last season (4.82).
* Ellsbury and right-fielder Shane Victorino both ranked in the Top 5 in Zone Runs, one of the top metrics for defensive players. Ellsbury led all outfielders with 23 Zone Runs, which is the number of runs above or below what an average player was worth, based on number of plays made. Victorino led all AL right-fielders with 15, and was fifth overall.
* John Lackey, who began the season as the team’s fifth starter amid uncertainty of how he would bounce back from Tommy John surgery, made 29 starts, won 10 games, and posted a 3.52 ERA, his lowest ERA since he went 19-9 with a 3.01 ERA for the Angels in 2007.
* Mike Napoli, whose degenerative hip condition was a source of great concern at the time he signed with Boston, drove in 27 runs in April and finished with a career-best 92 RBIs. In his first season of playing first base, he also tied with Paul Goldschmidt of the Diamondbacks in Zone Runs with 11 to lead all big-leaguers at that position. He drove in 31 runs with the bases loaded, most by a Sox player since Vern Stephens had 32 in 1950. His three grand slams in a season ranks second in club history behind Babe Ruth’s four in 1919.
* Daniel Nava, who played in a career high 134 games, ranked second behind Mike Trout of the Angels in OBP for AL outfielders, his .385 OBP ranking fifth overall in the league. Among major-league switch hitters, he ranked first in OBP, third in OPS, and was tied for fifth in runs.
* Clay Buchholz went 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA in his first 12 starts before shoulder bursitis shut him down for over three months. Buchholz finished the season with a 12-1 record and 1.74 ERA in 16 starts; he was 6-0 with a 1.40 ERA in seven road starts.
* Setup man Craig Breslow's 1.84 ERA ranked third among left-handed relievers in the American League. He was 3-0 with an 0.57 ERA in his last 32 appearances.
* Jarrod Saltalamacchia set a club record for catchers with 40 doubles. He also set career highs in hits, RBIs, extra-base hits, runs, walks and, yes, stolen bases (4).
* Center-fielder Jacoby Ellsbury led the majors in stolen bases with 52 and was caught just four times, which is a stolen base percentage of 92.9 percent and the highest ever for a player with 50 or more steals.
* Designated hitter David Ortiz had his seventh season of 30-plus home runs and 100-plus RBIs, tying the club record held by Ted Williams. Ortiz became just the seventh player 37 or older to hit .300 or better with 30-plus homers and 100-plus RBIs.
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Joy R. Absalon/USA TODAY SportsMike Napoli drove in a career-high 92 runs, including one on Sunday.
* Koji Uehara retired a club-record 37 straight batters with a career-best 30 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings. He was first among AL relievers in ERA, strikeout-to-walk ratio, WHIP, walks per 9, and opponents’ batting average.
* Jon Lester pitched a career-high 213 1/3 innings and went 15-8, the fifth time in the last six seasons he has won at least 15 games. His earned run average of 3.75 was more than a full point better than last season (4.82).
* Ellsbury and right-fielder Shane Victorino both ranked in the Top 5 in Zone Runs, one of the top metrics for defensive players. Ellsbury led all outfielders with 23 Zone Runs, which is the number of runs above or below what an average player was worth, based on number of plays made. Victorino led all AL right-fielders with 15, and was fifth overall.
* John Lackey, who began the season as the team’s fifth starter amid uncertainty of how he would bounce back from Tommy John surgery, made 29 starts, won 10 games, and posted a 3.52 ERA, his lowest ERA since he went 19-9 with a 3.01 ERA for the Angels in 2007.
* Mike Napoli, whose degenerative hip condition was a source of great concern at the time he signed with Boston, drove in 27 runs in April and finished with a career-best 92 RBIs. In his first season of playing first base, he also tied with Paul Goldschmidt of the Diamondbacks in Zone Runs with 11 to lead all big-leaguers at that position. He drove in 31 runs with the bases loaded, most by a Sox player since Vern Stephens had 32 in 1950. His three grand slams in a season ranks second in club history behind Babe Ruth’s four in 1919.
* Daniel Nava, who played in a career high 134 games, ranked second behind Mike Trout of the Angels in OBP for AL outfielders, his .385 OBP ranking fifth overall in the league. Among major-league switch hitters, he ranked first in OBP, third in OPS, and was tied for fifth in runs.
* Clay Buchholz went 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA in his first 12 starts before shoulder bursitis shut him down for over three months. Buchholz finished the season with a 12-1 record and 1.74 ERA in 16 starts; he was 6-0 with a 1.40 ERA in seven road starts.
* Setup man Craig Breslow's 1.84 ERA ranked third among left-handed relievers in the American League. He was 3-0 with an 0.57 ERA in his last 32 appearances.
* Jarrod Saltalamacchia set a club record for catchers with 40 doubles. He also set career highs in hits, RBIs, extra-base hits, runs, walks and, yes, stolen bases (4).
Rapid reaction: Orioles 7, Red Sox 6
September, 29, 2013
Sep 29
5:23
PM ET
By
Gordon Edes | ESPNBoston.com
BALTIMORE -- If this was Felix Doubront’s audition for a spot on Boston’s postseason roster, it looks like he’s headed for New Haven instead of Broadway.
The left-hander gave up five runs on five hits and three walks while retiring just four batters in Boston’s 7-5 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. Doubront, who had made 27 starts for the Sox this season but posted a 7.53 ERA in three September starts, was instrumental in Boston losing a game in which they led by five runs for the first time this season.
Doubront had a long conversation on the field with GM Ben Cherington on Saturday, and manager John Farrell had indicated that the club had not yet decided how it was going to proceed in October with the reluctant reliever.
“Felix’s situation, Felix believes in himself, he feels worthy of being a starter," Farrell said before the game, “which is warranted. He’s had a solid year for us. We want to be sure if he’s in the bullpen in the postseason, not only is he into the role, but this is about the team, which is what we try to stress all year long, [but] even more importantly in the postseason. Whatever role you’re in, you’ve got to buy in and contribute what you can to win 11 more games starting Friday."
And how had Doubront bought in?
“Solid, but I think he sees himself as a starting pitcher. I admire that."
Doubront went 11-6 with a 4.08 ERA this season, which did not begin in promising fashion, as the Sox were upset that Doubront had not reported in prime physical shape in spring training. After he lasted just 3 2/3 innings in back-to-back starts in September, the Sox shut him down for 15 days before sending him back to the mound.
“He needed some down time, yeah," Farrell said. “It did catch up to him. For the second year in a row he’s had to take that breather late in the season. That’s where adjustments are already in place and planned for this off-season to avoid that.
“We’ve got to look at other things to adjust and that’s in the off-season. Like we talked about John Lackey, Felix has got to go through something similar. Not to say a reshaping of the body, but there’s got to be a greater foundation laid before spring training starts.
“The talent is there. We talked about it after the start in Toronto; you see more in there. He’s an extremely talented guy. We want to make sure we get the most out of him, for both him and us."
Lackey was originally scheduled to start Sunday, but with the best overall record in the league already cinched, Lackey was scratched in favor of rookie Allen Webster.
The Sox staked him to a 4-0 lead in the first two innings, the game beginning with a leadoff home run by Jacoby Ellsbury. Quintin Berry, starting in right field, hit a two-run home run in the second, and the Sox added another run in the fourth on a throwing error by Orioles catcher Steve Clevenger, who hit Ellsbury in the back with his throw after a swinging bunt. Ellsbury ran into Orioles first baseman Chris Davis on the play; the major-league leader in home runs with 53 had to leave the game with a sprained left wrist.
But the Orioles answered with a five-spot in the fifth off Doubront and Rubby De La Rosa, and went ahead for good with two runs in the sixth -- one charged to De La Rosa, the other to lefty Matt Thornton.
The Sox scored in the ninth on a single by David Ortiz, a wild pitch, and single by Mike Napoli, but Will Middlebrooks grounded into a game-ending double play against Baltimore closer Jim Johnson, who was credited with his 50th save.
The Sox finish the regular season with a 97-65 record, the second Sox team in the last 35 years to win at least 97. The ’04 world champions won 98.
Buchholz set to throw Wednesday
September, 29, 2013
Sep 29
2:45
PM ET
By
Gordon Edes | ESPNBoston.com
BALTIMORE -- Boston Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz is scheduled to throw in Wednesday’s intrasquad game, according to a baseball source, further evidence that Jon Lester and John Lackey will pitch the first two games of the American League division series that begins Friday.
Buchholz last pitched on Friday, meaning Wednesday’s intrasquad game would come with his normal four days’ rest. Game 3 of the AL division series is scheduled for a week from Monday, which would also keep Buchholz right on schedule.
Lackey, who originally was scheduled to pitch Sunday, last pitched last Tuesday night in Colorado, meaning he will have 10 days’ rest if he pitches Game 2 Saturday. The last time he pitched with extended rest came out of the All-Star break, when he had seven days’ rest. He lost to the Yankees, 5-2, giving up 10 hits and 4 runs in 6 1/3 innings, striking out seven and walking none. His fastball topped out at 96 miles an hour that game, the highest it has been all season. In his last start, he averaged 91 m.p.h., and topped out at 92.
Manager John Farrell has yet to announce the rotation.
Buchholz last pitched on Friday, meaning Wednesday’s intrasquad game would come with his normal four days’ rest. Game 3 of the AL division series is scheduled for a week from Monday, which would also keep Buchholz right on schedule.
Lackey, who originally was scheduled to pitch Sunday, last pitched last Tuesday night in Colorado, meaning he will have 10 days’ rest if he pitches Game 2 Saturday. The last time he pitched with extended rest came out of the All-Star break, when he had seven days’ rest. He lost to the Yankees, 5-2, giving up 10 hits and 4 runs in 6 1/3 innings, striking out seven and walking none. His fastball topped out at 96 miles an hour that game, the highest it has been all season. In his last start, he averaged 91 m.p.h., and topped out at 92.
Manager John Farrell has yet to announce the rotation.
Pregame notes: Rest day for Lackey, others
September, 29, 2013
Sep 29
1:41
PM ET
By
Gordon Edes | ESPNBoston.com
BALTIMORE -- A few quick hits before the season finale:
* John Farrell broached the idea of skipping Sunday’s start to John Lackey during Saturday night’s game, and Lackey was amenable to the idea, which is why rookie Allen Webster drew the starting assignment.
* Lackey finishes the season with a 10-13 record and 3.52 in 29 starts and 189 1/3 innings, exceeding all expectations for a pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery 17 months before the start of the 2013 season.
* Farrell said he expects to use several relievers on Sunday, including Felix Doubront, who has yet to pitch out of the pen after starting all season. Doubront had a lengthy conversation with GM Ben Cherington on the field before Saturday’s game, and it remains to be seen whether he will be kept on the postseason roster as a reliever.
* Dustin Pedroia and Daniel Nava were both given the day off, assuring both of them of finishing the season with a .300 average, which, even in this age of advanced sabermetrics, is a recognized benchmark. Nava is at .303, Pedroia .301. Pedroia played 160 games, a new club record.
* Jacoby Ellsbury, who sat Saturday, was back in the starting lineup Sunday and begins the day at .297. Ellsbury finishes at .300 if he goes 2-for-2, 3-for-3, or 3-for-4. He would give the Sox a fourth .300 hitter. David Ortiz leads the team with a .308 average.
* Shortstop Stephen Drew also was given the day off.
* Farrell said Ellsbury’s health is no longer a factor in whether the club carries an extra center-fielder in the postseason.
* Farrell said backup catcher David Ross “absolutely” will get at least one start in the playoffs, probably against a left-handed starter.
* The decision on whether to carry 10 or 11 pitchers has yet to be made.
* The Sox are assured of being no worse than tied for the best record in the majors. The Cardinals begin the day a game behind the Sox, who are 97-64. The Cardinals are 96-65.
* Still alive is the Sox stolen-base streak. They’ve stolen 38 in a row without being caught, most since Toronto stole 38 in 1993.
* John Farrell broached the idea of skipping Sunday’s start to John Lackey during Saturday night’s game, and Lackey was amenable to the idea, which is why rookie Allen Webster drew the starting assignment.
* Lackey finishes the season with a 10-13 record and 3.52 in 29 starts and 189 1/3 innings, exceeding all expectations for a pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery 17 months before the start of the 2013 season.
* Farrell said he expects to use several relievers on Sunday, including Felix Doubront, who has yet to pitch out of the pen after starting all season. Doubront had a lengthy conversation with GM Ben Cherington on the field before Saturday’s game, and it remains to be seen whether he will be kept on the postseason roster as a reliever.
* Dustin Pedroia and Daniel Nava were both given the day off, assuring both of them of finishing the season with a .300 average, which, even in this age of advanced sabermetrics, is a recognized benchmark. Nava is at .303, Pedroia .301. Pedroia played 160 games, a new club record.
* Jacoby Ellsbury, who sat Saturday, was back in the starting lineup Sunday and begins the day at .297. Ellsbury finishes at .300 if he goes 2-for-2, 3-for-3, or 3-for-4. He would give the Sox a fourth .300 hitter. David Ortiz leads the team with a .308 average.
* Shortstop Stephen Drew also was given the day off.
* Farrell said Ellsbury’s health is no longer a factor in whether the club carries an extra center-fielder in the postseason.
* Farrell said backup catcher David Ross “absolutely” will get at least one start in the playoffs, probably against a left-handed starter.
* The decision on whether to carry 10 or 11 pitchers has yet to be made.
* The Sox are assured of being no worse than tied for the best record in the majors. The Cardinals begin the day a game behind the Sox, who are 97-64. The Cardinals are 96-65.
* Still alive is the Sox stolen-base streak. They’ve stolen 38 in a row without being caught, most since Toronto stole 38 in 1993.
Sox lose on road but win home-field edge
September, 29, 2013
Sep 29
12:40
AM ET
By
Gordon Edes | ESPNBoston.com
BALTIMORE -- Takeaways on a night when the Red Sox could safely turn their attention to the postseason after Oakland's loss late Saturday afternoon assured them of the league's best record and home-field advantage throughout the postseason:
* John Farrell, on finishing ahead of the Athletics, and the Fenway Factor in October:
"It's a tribute to the guys in uniform, the way they've come in and competed every day to put ourselves in position to secure home-field advantage. We'd have liked this game to finish up differently, but to know going into the postseason that every series we go into we'll have home-field advantage and playing in front of Fenway fans and how comfortable and successful we've been at home, this is a good thing."
* Jon Lester stiffs media after final regular-season start:
Not what you think. The Sox left-hander had the best of reasons, flying back home to Boston after coming out of the game to be with his wife, Farrah, who's about to give birth to the couple's second child. Who says life can't take a turn for the better after what was easily the worst season of Lester's career in 2012, when he went 9-14 with a 4.82 ERA. The final line on his 2013 regular season: 33 starts, a career-high 213 1/3 innings, 15-8 record, 3.75 ERA, 177 strikeouts and 67 walks. Every significant statistical category was better than the year before: K's per 9 (7.47), walks per 9 (2.8), hits per nine (8.8), home runs per nine (0.8).
Saturday, he was not at his best -- nine hits, including a home run by Brian Roberts, and four runs in five innings -- but he threw 97 pitches and will be well-rested when he goes into next weekend.
"Not as sharp," Farrell said. "Given the way he's righted the ship from a year ago to this year, a very strong season overall."
Farrell continues to hold off on naming his rotation for the postseason. When Alex Speier of WEEI.com asked whether the Lesters planned to name their baby, "Game One Starter," Farrell cracked: "If they do, someone needs to be slapped."
* You can't be a Sox fan without something to worry about:
And the bridge between the starters and closer Koji Uehara remains the obvious choice. Lefty Matt Thornton, on the bubble for an October roster spot, went three up and three down in the sixth, striking out one. Junichi Tazawa then needed just eight pitches to breeze through the heart of the Orioles' order, retiring J.J. Hardy on a fly ball, slugger Chris Davis on a ground ball, and striking out cleanup man Adam Jones.
But then Tazawa came out for the eighth and yielded back-to-back singles to Matt Wieters and Danny Valencia. Maybe, Farrell said afterward, Tazawa is better in one-inning stints at this stage, but because he'd made such fast work of the Orioles in the seventh, the Sox sent him back out to start the eighth.
Franklin Morales came in and overpowered left-handed hitting Nick Markakis, just as he had Colorado's Todd Helton on Wednesday night, with the same result each time: The hitter went down swinging. But then the right-handed hitting DH, Steve Pearce, hit a ball into the corner, where Gomes had a little trouble picking it up, and the Orioles had the lead.
This was only the fifth time in 83 games that the Sox lost after leading through seven innings. That's not a habit you want to develop headed into October.
In the season's second half, setup man Craig Breslow has made 29 appearances, allowing just two earned runs in 26 2/3 innings for an 0.68 ERA.
The rest of the relievers expected to be in the mix for the playoff roster -- Tazawa, Morales, Thornton, Ryan Dempster, Brandon Workman, and Drake Britton -- have a 3.84 ERA in the second half. That's pretty good, but leaves some room to fret.
* Compared to what he did for Chico, he's in a slump:
Daniel Nava went 4-for-4 Saturday night, his sixth career four-hit game and fourth this season, to raise his average to .303 with a game to play, assuring himself of his first .300 season in the big leagues. Nava could go 0-for-5 Sunday and still finish at .300.
The safety zone to finish above .300 is almost as big for Dustin Pedroia, who went 3-for-5 Saturday, his second straight three-hit game, to raise his average to .301. He'd have to go 0-for-4 to drop below .300, to .299. It would be his third season of hitting .300 or better.
Nava, signed out of the independent Golden Baseball League, batted .371 in his last season (2007) for the Chico Outlaws, before his rights were sold for a buck.
What made Saturday's performance stand out was that all four hits came against lefties. Nava is hitting .322 versus right-handers, and his four hits Saturday raised his average against lefties 26 percentage points, from .226 to .252.
"I'm sure he's going to take from this some increased confidence when he faces left-handers," Farrell said. "He's done an outstanding job for us all year, and he's finishing on a high note."
* Overlook Stephen Drew at your own peril:
He doubled and singled and scored two runs Saturday. He tripled and singled and drove in three runs Friday. He is hitting .333 over his past 13 games with eight extra-base hits. He is batting .276 in the season's second half, after batting .233 in the first half, when he was coming back from a concussion and a hamstring issue. He's made eight errors at shortstop all season. He's been underappreciated.
* John Farrell, on finishing ahead of the Athletics, and the Fenway Factor in October:
"It's a tribute to the guys in uniform, the way they've come in and competed every day to put ourselves in position to secure home-field advantage. We'd have liked this game to finish up differently, but to know going into the postseason that every series we go into we'll have home-field advantage and playing in front of Fenway fans and how comfortable and successful we've been at home, this is a good thing."
* Jon Lester stiffs media after final regular-season start:
[+] Enlarge
Greg Fiume/Getty ImagesJon Lester didn't get a win in his final regular-season start but looks to be in top form entering the postseason.
Saturday, he was not at his best -- nine hits, including a home run by Brian Roberts, and four runs in five innings -- but he threw 97 pitches and will be well-rested when he goes into next weekend.
"Not as sharp," Farrell said. "Given the way he's righted the ship from a year ago to this year, a very strong season overall."
Farrell continues to hold off on naming his rotation for the postseason. When Alex Speier of WEEI.com asked whether the Lesters planned to name their baby, "Game One Starter," Farrell cracked: "If they do, someone needs to be slapped."
* You can't be a Sox fan without something to worry about:
And the bridge between the starters and closer Koji Uehara remains the obvious choice. Lefty Matt Thornton, on the bubble for an October roster spot, went three up and three down in the sixth, striking out one. Junichi Tazawa then needed just eight pitches to breeze through the heart of the Orioles' order, retiring J.J. Hardy on a fly ball, slugger Chris Davis on a ground ball, and striking out cleanup man Adam Jones.
But then Tazawa came out for the eighth and yielded back-to-back singles to Matt Wieters and Danny Valencia. Maybe, Farrell said afterward, Tazawa is better in one-inning stints at this stage, but because he'd made such fast work of the Orioles in the seventh, the Sox sent him back out to start the eighth.
Franklin Morales came in and overpowered left-handed hitting Nick Markakis, just as he had Colorado's Todd Helton on Wednesday night, with the same result each time: The hitter went down swinging. But then the right-handed hitting DH, Steve Pearce, hit a ball into the corner, where Gomes had a little trouble picking it up, and the Orioles had the lead.
This was only the fifth time in 83 games that the Sox lost after leading through seven innings. That's not a habit you want to develop headed into October.
In the season's second half, setup man Craig Breslow has made 29 appearances, allowing just two earned runs in 26 2/3 innings for an 0.68 ERA.
The rest of the relievers expected to be in the mix for the playoff roster -- Tazawa, Morales, Thornton, Ryan Dempster, Brandon Workman, and Drake Britton -- have a 3.84 ERA in the second half. That's pretty good, but leaves some room to fret.
* Compared to what he did for Chico, he's in a slump:
Daniel Nava went 4-for-4 Saturday night, his sixth career four-hit game and fourth this season, to raise his average to .303 with a game to play, assuring himself of his first .300 season in the big leagues. Nava could go 0-for-5 Sunday and still finish at .300.
The safety zone to finish above .300 is almost as big for Dustin Pedroia, who went 3-for-5 Saturday, his second straight three-hit game, to raise his average to .301. He'd have to go 0-for-4 to drop below .300, to .299. It would be his third season of hitting .300 or better.
Nava, signed out of the independent Golden Baseball League, batted .371 in his last season (2007) for the Chico Outlaws, before his rights were sold for a buck.
What made Saturday's performance stand out was that all four hits came against lefties. Nava is hitting .322 versus right-handers, and his four hits Saturday raised his average against lefties 26 percentage points, from .226 to .252.
"I'm sure he's going to take from this some increased confidence when he faces left-handers," Farrell said. "He's done an outstanding job for us all year, and he's finishing on a high note."
* Overlook Stephen Drew at your own peril:
He doubled and singled and scored two runs Saturday. He tripled and singled and drove in three runs Friday. He is hitting .333 over his past 13 games with eight extra-base hits. He is batting .276 in the season's second half, after batting .233 in the first half, when he was coming back from a concussion and a hamstring issue. He's made eight errors at shortstop all season. He's been underappreciated.
Rapid Reaction: Orioles 6, Red Sox 5
September, 28, 2013
Sep 28
10:38
PM ET
By
Gordon Edes | ESPNBoston.com
BALTIMORE -- The Red Sox were 53-28 at Fenway Park this season, the best home record in the league by a game over the Athletics (52-29) and two games better than the Tigers and Rays (51-30), all three teams the Sox could meet in the postseason.
Having the home-field advantage in October mattered to them, they said, from John Farrell on down, and now they have it.
Two years to the night that the Sox were eliminated from the playoffs on the last day of the season here in Oriole Park at Camden Yards, they took the field Saturday night against the Orioles already assured of their goal, the Athletics having lost to the Mariners just moments earlier.
A game shorn of urgency instead became an exercise in advance preparation for the postseason, though the Sox still took it to the last out before falling 6-5 to the Orioles before a crowd of 36,556. Jonny Gomes took a called, full-count third strike from Orioles closer Jim Johnson with the tying run on second base to end it.
Left-hander Jon Lester, the likely choice to pitch the division series opener Friday in Boston, pitched five innings and came away with a no-decision in his final regular-season start of 2013, his 15-8 record and 3.75 ERA a quantum leap from last year's 9-14 and 4.82 ERA.
Left-handed reliever Matt Thornton, auditioning for a spot in the postseason bullpen, pitched a clean sixth inning. Junichi Tazawa gave the Sox a three-up, three-down seventh, then gave up back-to-back singles in the eighth that ultimately turned into the game's deciding runs when Steve Pearce doubled off lefty Franklin Morales after he'd just whiffed Nick Markakis.
And Quintin Berry, who could be kept as a late-inning base-stealing threat, stole second as a pinch runner after Mike Napoli hit a two-out single in the ninth before Gomes struck out to end it.
The win assured the Orioles of winning the season series against the Red Sox. They lead 10-8. The Sox are 36-21 (.632) against the rest of the division.
Daniel Nava, bidding to finish the season with a .300 average, had four hits, matching a career high, to raise his average to .303. Dustin Pedroia went 3-for-5, giving him six hits in the past two nights and raising his average to .301. Gomes, Stephen Drew and David Ross had two hits apiece.
Both Jacoby Ellsbury and David Ortiz were given the night off.
Better to win blowouts than nailbiters?
September, 28, 2013
Sep 28
9:37
PM ET
By
Gordon Edes | ESPNBoston.com
BALTIMORE -- We tend to pay a great deal of attention to a team's record in one-run games, presuming that the better teams win the close ones.
But at least this season, there is a far greater correlation between a team's success in blowout games (games decided by 5 or more runs) than in one-run games.
The Red Sox are tied with the Tigers for the most wins by 5 runs or more, with 33. The Indians are next with 30, the Athletics fourth with 28, the Rangers fifth with 27, and the Rays sixth with 23. The Red Sox, Tigers and Athletics are all division winners, and the Indians, Rangers and Rays are the three teams still in the wild-card race.
The teams with the best record in one-run games? The Yankees are 29-16, the Indians 30-17, and the Athletics 30-20. The Sox are 21-19, the Tigers 20-24.
But at least this season, there is a far greater correlation between a team's success in blowout games (games decided by 5 or more runs) than in one-run games.
The Red Sox are tied with the Tigers for the most wins by 5 runs or more, with 33. The Indians are next with 30, the Athletics fourth with 28, the Rangers fifth with 27, and the Rays sixth with 23. The Red Sox, Tigers and Athletics are all division winners, and the Indians, Rangers and Rays are the three teams still in the wild-card race.
The teams with the best record in one-run games? The Yankees are 29-16, the Indians 30-17, and the Athletics 30-20. The Sox are 21-19, the Tigers 20-24.
A's loss assures Sox of AL's best record
September, 28, 2013
Sep 28
7:42
PM ET
By
Gordon Edes | ESPNBoston.com
BALTIMORE -- For the Red Sox, this amounted to a free game. Just as they were preparing to play the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night, word came that Oakland had lost in Seattle to the Mariners, 7-5.
That loss assured the Red Sox of finishing with the league's best overall record regardless of the outcome of their last two games here against the Orioles. The Sox began the night with a 97-63 record. The Athletics, who have lost three of their last four games, are now 95-66.
The importance of finishing with the best record in the league? It assures the Red Sox of home-field advantage not only in the AL Division Series, which begins Friday, but also in the ALCS. The American League won the All-Star Game, so that assures the Sox of home-field advantage in the World Series should they advance.
It also means the Sox will play the winner of the wild-card play-in game Wednesday, in the first round, while the Athletics open at home against the Detroit Tigers, winner of the AL Central.
The Sox will play one of three teams in the first round: the Indians, Rays or Rangers. The Indians won their season-best ninth game in a row Saturday and lead the wild-card race, a game ahead of the Rays and Rangers, who are tied at 90-71. If the Indians win Sunday, they are assured of one spot in Wednesday's wild-card play-in game. But the possibility still exists that the wild-card contenders could finish in a two-way or three-way tie, necessitating either an additional game on Monday (in event of a two-way tie) or games on Monday and Tuesday (if a three-way tie) ahead of Wednesday's wild-card showdown.
The Sox won 6 of 7 from the Indians during the regular season. They were 12-7 vs. the Rays, and 2-4 vs. the Rangers.
Against the teams already qualified for the AL playoffs, the Sox were 3-4 vs. the Tigers, 3-3 vs. the Athletics.
Starting times for the first two games of the division series have yet to be announced.
That loss assured the Red Sox of finishing with the league's best overall record regardless of the outcome of their last two games here against the Orioles. The Sox began the night with a 97-63 record. The Athletics, who have lost three of their last four games, are now 95-66.
The importance of finishing with the best record in the league? It assures the Red Sox of home-field advantage not only in the AL Division Series, which begins Friday, but also in the ALCS. The American League won the All-Star Game, so that assures the Sox of home-field advantage in the World Series should they advance.
It also means the Sox will play the winner of the wild-card play-in game Wednesday, in the first round, while the Athletics open at home against the Detroit Tigers, winner of the AL Central.
The Sox will play one of three teams in the first round: the Indians, Rays or Rangers. The Indians won their season-best ninth game in a row Saturday and lead the wild-card race, a game ahead of the Rays and Rangers, who are tied at 90-71. If the Indians win Sunday, they are assured of one spot in Wednesday's wild-card play-in game. But the possibility still exists that the wild-card contenders could finish in a two-way or three-way tie, necessitating either an additional game on Monday (in event of a two-way tie) or games on Monday and Tuesday (if a three-way tie) ahead of Wednesday's wild-card showdown.
The Sox won 6 of 7 from the Indians during the regular season. They were 12-7 vs. the Rays, and 2-4 vs. the Rangers.
Against the teams already qualified for the AL playoffs, the Sox were 3-4 vs. the Tigers, 3-3 vs. the Athletics.
Starting times for the first two games of the division series have yet to be announced.
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- GordonEdes Gordon Edes
- ESPNJoeyMac Joe McDonald
NHL will implement the hybrid icing rule this season.
about 19 hours ago
- ESPNJoeyMac Joe McDonald
- ESPNJoeyMac Joe McDonald
RT @drosennhl: Hybrid icing decision coming today. League expects to hear from the PA sometime this afternoon.
1 day ago
- ESPNJoeyMac Joe McDonald
- GordonEdes Gordon Edes
Edes: Red Sox have the pieces in place to win http://t.co/0zyHUGj3hk via @ESPNBoston
1 day ago
- GordonEdes Gordon Edes
- GordonEdes Gordon Edes
In case you missed @MacDime54 hit a game-deciding 3-R HR a few days ago, then pinch hit safely in his last two appearances for the Cubs
1 day ago
- GordonEdes Gordon Edes
- GordonEdes Gordon Edes
RT @MacDime54: Congrats to my Bean town family #Bstrong #54
1 day ago
- GordonEdes Gordon Edes
- GordonEdes Gordon Edes
sprained left wrist for Chris Davis, whose season ends with 53 HRs, 138 RBIs
1 day ago
- GordonEdes Gordon Edes
- GordonEdes Gordon Edes
Chris Davis leaves game after Ellsbury runs into his glove hand on swinging bunt
1 day ago
- GordonEdes Gordon Edes
- GordonEdes Gordon Edes
Love this: Mariano feels like family. | http://t.co/cVcMQOIgQK : Peter Richmond Article http://t.co/1h1qeFiTm0 via @SportsonEarth
2 days ago
- GordonEdes Gordon Edes
- ESPNJoeyMac Joe McDonald
Julien texted Ference to congratulate him for being named captain of the Oilers.
2 days ago
- ESPNJoeyMac Joe McDonald
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Gordon Edes
Gordon Edes, who joined ESPNBoston.com in Nov. 2009, has covered MLB for more than 25 years. He spent 12 years covering the Sox for the Globe. Ask a question for his next mailbag. Follow him on Twitter here.
Joe McDonald
Joe McDonald, a native Rhode Islander, joined ESPNBoston.com as a Bruins and Red Sox reporter in February 2010. He has worked at the Providence Journal since 1992, covering the Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots, PawSox and Providence Bruins over the past nine years. Follow him on Twitter here.
Mike Andrews
Mike Andrews is designer and developer of SoxProspects.com and a special contributor to ESPNBoston.com. He writes a weekly column on Red Sox prospects.
