Sunday, July 26, 2009

Lester's 9 K's Lead Boston to Win

A very strong outing from John Lester improved his record to 9-7 on the season. He got into a bit of trouble in the fourth, allowing two runs but cruised otherwise. Even in that inning, the Orioles basically cashed in on a couple of well placed, rinky-dink, infield hits. People have expressed concern about Lester's workload last year and the effect it would have on this season. I think Lester is proving that he is a horse in the mold of C.C. Sabathia, a power lefty with filthy off-speed stuff to compliment a dominating fast ball.

Adam LaRoche hit a homer in his Red Sox debut, not a bad way to endear yourself to the fans. It came with the Red Sox leading 5-2 in the seventh, but it put the game out of reach for Baltimore. I am curious to see how this move pans out. I have no feeling really for what kind of a player LaRoche is, but another lefty bat, this one with power the opposite way, is a nice option to have. If he can help spell Mike Lowell so he is fresh later in the season, great. I think the only way Lowell can remain an effective player at this point in his career is if he gets regular rest.

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