Red Sox 1B Kevin Youkilis
As the Red Sox bandwagon limps into the 2010 All-Star break with 2 broken wheels and a seizing engine, the team still finds itself in decent shape, with a 51-37 record, 5 games behind the Yankees and 2 behind the Rays for the Wild Card. Not bad for a team with 12 players on the disabled list.
In comparison, last season a healthy Red Sox team found itself with a 54-34 record at the break, 3 games ahead of the Yankees for the AL East lead, but one that they would eventually relinquish. For the Red Sox to be only 3 games off last year’s pace with the number of injuries they currently have is nothing short of remarkable.
To put it in perspective, 4 of the 6 Red Sox selected to play in the 2010 All-Star Game in Anaheim cannot play due to injury. Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, Clay Buchholz, and Adrian Beltre – who strained his hamstring just yesterday – will not play. Jon Lester and David Ortiz are the only Red Sox healthy enough to play for the American League, which has won 12 in a row, if you throw out the embarrassing tie in the 2002 All-Star Game.
It could be said that no team needs the All-Star break like the Red Sox do, who in addition to the aforementioned infirmary all-stars, are currently missing ace Josh Beckett, CF Jacoby Ellsbury, captain C Jason Varitek, 3B Mike Lowell, OF Jeremy Hermida, and RP Manny Delcarmen. Also, OF Mike Cameron – who is fighting through an abdominal tear – and SP Daisuke Matsuzaka have also battled injuries this year as well.
The ability of the Red Sox to be where they are now is a testament to the front office and manager Terry Francona, who has deployed numerous replacements that not many had heard of including CF Darnell McDonald, LF Daniel Nava, SP Felix Dubront, 2B/OF Eric Patterson, as well as veterans IF/OF Bill Hall and C Kevin Cash.
While the Red Sox will apparently be getting healthier as time progresses, they will have their work cut out for them following the break. They will host Texas for a 4-game set at Fenway, which is sure to include one game against the newly acquired ace Cliff Lee.
They will then embark on a 10-game west coast road trip, (which is never easy) with 3 games at Oakland, 4 at Seattle, and 3 at the Angels and then host the Tigers (3) and Indians (4) before heading to Yankee Stadium for a 4-game weekend set.
If the Red Sox can break even on the west coast trip and win both series at home before heading to the House That Jeter Built, they will still be in good shape. For this to happen, John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka must earn their keep, the front office must bring in another bullpen arm to buttress Jonathan Papelbon and Daniel Bard, and some of the other pieces must get back into the fold as well.
As Boston fans we want to see this team as the 2004 Patriots, who battled a ridiculous amount of injuries on their way to a third Superbowl title, rather than the 2006 Red Sox, who had an equal amount of freak injuries, but fell out of the race in August after being swept at home in a 5-game series by the Yankees. By the time the series in New York is over on Monday August 9, we will know exactly where this team stands.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
it was very interesting to read.
I want to quote your post in my blog. It can?
And you et an account on Twitter?
Red Sox always get on fire during September and by then they should have all the players back. This is going to be another good season for the Sox.
I hope you are correct. They are in the misdt of a tough 10-game West Coast swing right now. If they can break even for the trip, they will be in good shape as Buchholz is back tonight and Beckett on Friday. If they come home any worse than that, it might be panic time.