Pedroia Out for Six Weeks

Just as the Sox start playing well and put themselves in a position to increase their lead on the Rays with the mini series that starts tonight, Dustin Pedroia breaks his foot. Make no mistake about it, this is not good. I can see the Sox rallying around this injury and doing well in the next couple of weeks, but six weeks without their catalyst is going to be tough to weather.

At least Clay Buchholz and Victor Martinez won't be out long. Martinez is on the 15-day DL, while Buchholz was scheduled to miss his next start anyway.

Lester Outlasts Lincecum

Much to the chagrin of our friend Dennis, Jon Lester pitched a gem yesterday and the normally nasty Tim Lincecum managed just three innings against the Red Sox. Still I was surprised the Giants yanked him when they did. Even though Lincecum needed 78 pitches to get through his three innings of work he only gave up four runs. That's not great, especially if you're a two time Cy Young winner, but the Giants weren't out of the game by any means.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Lester was dominant again. He pitched his second complete game of the season while striking out nine. He even helped his own cause giving a Lincecum fast ball a long ride to the 420 sign and driving in a run with a sac fly.

Lester is emerging as a legit Cy Young candidate. Since his first couple of starts when he was pretty poor he is 9-1. His ERA on the season is 2.86 and he has turned into an overpowering strikeout machine. It's enough to make you forget about the oft injured and lately ineffectual Josh Beckett.

This road trip hasn't been all sunshine and blueberry lollipops for the Sox, however. It has produced some key injuries that they must weather if they are going to keep pace in the division. Dustin Pedroia has a broken foot after fouling a ball off himself Friday. He is now on the 15 day DL. Most maddening of all is Clay Buchholz hyperextending his knee while running the bases on Saturday. Every year in stupid interleague play some AL pitcher sustains a significant injury while running the bases. A professional athlete should be able to run 90 feet without hurting himself, but there's always this thought, this never would have happened if... Now the big fat cherry on top of this this crap sundae happened yesterday when Victor Martinez broke his thumb. Fortunately the All-Star Break is around the corner.

Lester Outlasts Liriano

While Francisco Liriano was chased from tonight's game after 4 2/3, Jon Lester pitched the 5th complete game of his career as the Sox won 6-2. Though he allowed a couple of runs late, Lester was untouchable throughout. All the off-speed stuff, particularly the change up, looked nasty. The most impressive sequence was when Lester struck out the side in order in the seventh. Among the victims were both Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Lester was incredibly efficient as well completing his start with only 103 pitches, 27 less than his no-hitter in '08.

On the offensive side, the Sox jumped all over Liriano early. Kevin Youkilis contributed with a three run homer and an RBI double as the Sox built up a 5-0 lead before Liriano left. Victor Martinez joined the party with three doubles scoring two runs as a result.

Finally the Sox really handle a quality opponent. The problem all year has been that the Sox fold when matched against a team that will directly compete with them for a playoff spot. They've been mediocre at best against the likes of the Yankees, Rays, Tigers, and until tonight and last night, the Twins. It's nice to beat up on the Royals and all that, but the Sox need success against the legit AL contenders.

Successful Debut for Martinez, Sox 1/2 Game Back

Victor Martinez had an RBI single and scored a run in his Red Sox debut, while Josh Beckett continued his Cy Young caliber season in Boston's 4-0 win vs. Baltimore.

I like the Martinez move, although I think it's a move that will really pan out for next season. With all due respect to Jason Varitek, I think Martinez will be behind the plate next season. Youk will move to 3rd and the Sox will push hard for a big bat at first base.

Beckett, who pitched 7 shut out innings, was helped by double plays in the 6th and 7th. Other than that, he faced little trouble. He now has an AL leading 13 wins and sports a 3.27 ERA. Many wondered who was the real Josh Beckett, the horse from 2007 or the floundering, banged up pitcher from last season. So far he is proving he is the former.

The Sox now stand 1/2 a game back of the Yankees and I'm sure the division lead seesaw will continue until the end. Now Jason Page can shut his pie hole about the Yankees standing pat at the deadline because they have a certain World Series contender. They do, but like all the teams in the race the Yanks have holes. A winning streak prior to the deadline perhaps will lead you to turn a blind eye to those weaknesses. Or perhaps New York just didn't see anything they were thrilled about. The reason I hate Page so much (in addition to his ineptitude behind the mic) is that he's such a Yankee homer and claims to be objective. Anyway, the race is on, and if we're honest with ourselves, we all like it that way.

Deadline Deals

Well the trade deadline has come and gone and barring any Manny-esque post-deadline deal both the Yankees and the Red Sox are done... for now.

The Red Sox made the biggest splash this side of Cliff Lee, taking advantage of the Cleveland fire sale by getting swith-hitting C/1B/DH Victor Martinez. Martinez was probably the Sox third choice out of the triumvirate of Roy Halladay, Adrian Gonzalez and Martinez, but he was by far the most affordable and the most realistic. Halladay and Gonzalez would have cost them a boatload of prospects and Theo Epstein is not one to part with many of his prospects.

Martinez does make the Sox better since he can spell Jason Varitek, David Ortiz and Mike Lowell via Youkilis playing third. He is a solid bat and the Red Sox have needed a bat more than an arm since their offense has hit the skids of late. The only piece the gave up that will immediately impact the team is Justin Masterson.

Masterson has been solid for the Red Sox, more so last year than this year, but nonetheless a solid hard thrower out of the pen who could spot start when the need arises. It's likely the Indians give him a shot at the rotation before the pen becomes his full-time livelihood. The other two arms are solid prospects but are far away from the majors. Bryan Price is a right-hander struggling at High A-ball right now and Nick Hagadone is a promising left-hander who has pitched well at High A, but only has 59 professional innings.

It's a solid deal for the Red Sox who will not give up Clay Buchholz, Daniel Bard or Lars Anderson, three of Epstein's favorites.

The Yankees were much quieter than the Sox. Their only move before the deadline was for Jerry Hairston Jr. Far from a huge impact, Hairston will be on the bench for the Yankees where he might spell Melky Cabrera in center on occasion and can play just about any infield position. He is a better bat than say Cody Ransom and can be trusted to play second, short or third, which was something you couldn't do with Eric Hinske. Once Gardner comes back from his broken thumb, the Yankees bench will be deeper than it has been in years.

It's probably the best the Yankees could have done without giving up anything significant. They lose Single-A catcher Chase Weems, but that isn't very much. They still need a pitcher, but that wont come until teams start putting people on waivers. The Yankees could and will probably grab someone then.

Overall this was a pretty exciting deadline. Two big bats on the move (Martinez and Matt Holliday) and two former Cy Young winners have new homes (Cliff Lee and Jake Peavy). This year the deadline lived up to the hype.

And as a Yanks fan I have to say that I'm just glad the Sox just got Victor Martinez and not Halladay or Gonzo. The Yankees have a hole in the rotation, but if a fifth starter is your biggest problem then you are in pretty good shape.