Red Sox Reeling

Two games up and two games down in this four game set, as the Yankees have defeated the Red Sox in two straight, insuring at least a split in the series. The Yanks blew out the Sox in game one then outlasted them in 15 innings last night. Game two was especially demoralizing because the Sox bats continued to struggle as they wasted 7 shutout innings from Josh Beckett and 7 more from the bullpen.

The Sox just can't seem to hit with RISP. They're not stringing hits together to get any rallies going. The Yanks simply outlasted them until the Sox had to throw out AAA call up, Junichi Tazawa. He would have lost the game earlier in the 15th if not for a highlight reel catch by J.D. Drew. Then with two out and Alex Rodriguez at the plate, well that just wasn't fair for the poor rookie.

Meanwhile, the John Smoltz experiment seems to be over in Boston. The future HOFer was designated for assignment today. There's still a chance that the Red Sox may bring him back as a reliever if he decides to take a pay cut. I'm not sure if that would work. I feel bad for Smoltz, not just because he wasn't much of a help to Boston's rotation, but because he's had a great career and this is no way for him to go out. Seldom do athletes, hall of fame caliber or not, get to retire on their own terms.

As of now, Boston's plight is this. They are 4.5 back of the Yankees and need to salvage a split in the series to even have a chance at the division going in to September. In the rear view mirror lurk the Texas Rangers, who are now only a game back of the Sox in the wild card. They sent a starter down to minors that they were depending on for the stretch now that Dice-DL is out of the picture for the moment. Oh, and they've forgotten how to hit. Yeech. And might I add, blarg!

Smoltz Bounces Back, Gets Support

I write this as the Sox lead the Orioles 9-1 in the bottom of the fifth. The game has been delayed by rain. Hopefully it won't take too long. Apparently the same rain made its way through New York and the Yankees game in about 40 minutes.

The good news is that John Smoltz looked great today. The bad news is that he probably won't get his first win in the American League. I doubt that the Sox will let the 42-year-old head back out after sitting around during a rain delay. Answer me this, the starter can't get a win if he doesn't go at least five, but if he leaves with a 9-1 lead, as Smoltz has, who does?

Anyway, Smoltz had all three pitches working. His slider and his curve were biting hard and he was painting with the fast ball. He worked quickly and looked very comfortable. It's a complete 180 from his first start.

Meanwhile, the Boston bats have been relentless in this game making things even more comfortable for Smoltzy (as I'm sure Tito is already calling him). It was very satisfying to see the Sox break things open in the 4th when the Orioles intentionally walked Jason Bay to get to David Ortiz. He took a pitch the opposite way to left field and made them pay. He's smacking hits the other way more and more often, and if he keeps doing that he'll be in good shape the rest of the season.

Marlins Continue to Assist Sox

After helping out the Sox by sweeping the Blue Jays in Toronto, the Marlins returned to their normal pathetic selves last night as Boston hammered them 8-2. Big Papi hit a solo HR and a two run single for the cause, and Tim Wakefield baffled a Florida line up, which was only 3-16 coming into the game against Wake. This inexperience proved to be their undoing.

David Ortiz continues to improve. He's hitting .375 over the past week with 3 HR. He's now been moved to up to fifth in the line up. That's fine. The five or six spot in Boston's line up is still an opportunity for 100 RBI.

Now that John Smoltz and Clay Buchholz appear to be ready to join the roster. Boston finds itself with an enviable problem, seven capable starting pitchers. There's been a lot of talk of trading Brad Penny, but how can you do that when even he's coming around now? If they trade him and the pitching staff stays healthy and effective for the rest of the year, they look like geniuses. If they trade him, and John Smoltz gets hurt again or some other disaster befalls the Sox, they will look like shortsighted nincompoops. Buchholz is 23. He will get his shot soon enough. I think they have to see how Smoltz looks before they make any moves.

State of the Rotation: Part V

The fifth and final matchup is between Brad Penny and assorted others vs. Joba Chamberlain and fellow youngsters

It’s far from a guarantee that Penny will be in this spot for very long. The same can be said for Joba as well. Though both have the capability to be top rotation starters this season it really can’t be expected from either of them. For Penny the most important aspect of his game is health. He has a dominant fastball, though he doesn’t have overwhelming secondary stuff. But if that heater is out on the mound and he’s able to hurl strikes on a consistent basis then the Sox will be ecstatic with their minimal investment in Penny. If he doesn’t work out then they have either the stalwart John Smoltz on his way back from rehab or Clay Buchholz who is probably itching to prove himself after last year’s rough rookie season.

Joba on the other hand has slightly different concerns. Health is a big one for him, but in a different way. Aside from last season’s minor meltdown in his shoulder, Joba has proven to be healthy for awhile. But, like several other young Yankee pitchers, he hasn’t come anywhere near the innings levels that the Yankees want to see their big three at. The Yankees are saying Joba is going to get 30 starts which would lead one to conclude they want 180 innings out of him. If they could get that then they deserve a reward. It’s just unrealistic to expect that much out of arm that hasn’t been that taxed yet.

If Joba does slip up, then his first stop will probably be Triple A Scranton and in his stead will be Phil Hughes. Hughes has done several things better since his awful season last year. He has tweaked and improved his curve and he has begun to look to his a cut fastball on a regular basis and a change up on occasion. Beyond him there is Ian Kennedy and Kei Igawa…

Sorry I just threw up in my mouth a little.

Verdict: If this was question of upside and pure talent the Yankees would win. Even when Brad Penny was healthy he wasn’t dominant in the NL West, and the Yanks young guns have more talent than he ever did. Joba and Hughes both have more ability than Penny, but like him and Smoltz they both have durability questions. It’s a close call but I really like the Smoltz pick up for the Sox and I fully expect him to displace Penny when he comes back. Smoltz is a badass, even at age 41, and his experience and tenacity give him and the Red Sox a slight edge in this final slot over the upside an optimism of Joba and Hughes. Sox make it a game, but Yanks win 3-2.

Sox Sign Smoltz

Say it three times fast. Another low-risk/high-reward signing for the Red Sox as they are calling them. Future HOFer John Smoltz joins the pitching staff as Rocco Baldelli signs on to replace Coco Crisp as the fourth outfielder. Badelli's condition probably won't be an issue since he won't have to play everyday and seems to have found a way to manage his fatigue. But while he is in the line up he will bust his hump for you, and I like that.

As for the Smoltz signing, stock piling pitchers is not a bad idea. Especially since the Sox are recruiting folks who should be average at the very worst. The Sox still have plenty of run scoring ability so after you get past Beckett, Dice-K, and Lester they should be able to platoon pitch well enough to win a bunch of those games.