Boston Red Sox captain and backup catcher Jason Varitek provided the spark for the Sox
last night with 4 RBI's (courtesy USPresswire)
Throughout the offseason, Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein preached the need for pitching and defense, insisting that with that combination, the Sox would be primed for success in 2010. After signing John Lackey, Mario Scutaro and Mike Cameron, it certainly looked like those needs were addressed. Pundits insisted that the Sox would be challenged offensively, however, and given the slow start out of the gate for the Sox, that point was given validity. But, considering the poor start to both areas that were addressed during the offseason, the Sox' offense is actually starting to click.
Last night's game with the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre was a see-saw affair. 34 total hits, 13 total pitchers, and 4 hours and 3 minutes later (the longest 9 inning game in the majors this year), the Sox finally emerged with a 13-12 victory. Until reliever Manny Delcarmen entered the game in the sixth inning, seven pitchers combined had all given up at least one run. Delcarmen's outing (2 innings, six up, six down) was a welcome respite for Sox manager Terry Francona. “Manny Delcarmen, what he gave us was huge,’’ Francona said. Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon were both able to shut the door as well, with Papelbon gaining his sixth save of the season. Both teams saw season highs in hits, Boston with 18 and Toronto with 16, and Sox captain and backup catcher Jason Varitek provided the spark, with 3 hits and 4 RBI's. Varitek has enjoyed a resurgence in his backup role, starting off the young season with a .357 avg., 4 HR's and 8 RBI's. “I would have taken a 2-1 game rather than a 4-hour game behind the plate, to be honest with you,” Varitek said with a laugh. “I was a little tired after about the fourth inning."
For all the talk about run prevention during the offseason and throughout spring training, the Sox have certainly been challenged in those areas to start the season. Key injuries to Jacoby Ellsbury & Cameron have not helped, leaving the Sox scrambling to fill the holes left behind. Sox team ERA and WHIP are second to last in the AL, at 5.06 and 1.51 respectively, and their defense is ranked 10th in the AL in fielding percentage. However the hitting, which was thought to be the crutch, is ranked 5th in the AL in runs scored, one behind the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers, and ranked 3rd in overall hits. Given the small sample size, these numbers could all certainly change in a hurry, and as the summer months approach, pitching and defense could still rule the day for the Sox...
Tidbits: Exactly what is it with the Milwaukee Brewers' dominance over the Pittsburgh Pirates? Following yesterday's 17-3 blowout win over the Pirates, the Brewers have now outscored the Pirates 53-4 in their last 4 meetings, including a 20-0 blowout last Thursday. The Pirates have lost 22 straight games at Miller Park, and are 12-37 against the Brewers since 2007.
The extension given to slugger Ryan Howard by the Philadelphia Phillies (5 years, $125 million) will keep Howard in Philly until at least the 2017. Smart move here.. While the contract itself is only the second contract ever given with an average salary of $25 million per season, it was a prudent decision by Phillies' management, once again showing their fan base that they are working to continue their dominance in the NL East and beyond...
Have you had an opportunity to check out www.diy-sports.com/?refId=1110 yet? A great MMORPG baseball game that's growing fast.. Check it out !!
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