baseball season’s first half is in the books, and though it hasn’t been
a perfect 88 games here in the Hub, there isn’t much for Red Sox Nation
to complain about.
The Sawx are in first place with their 53-34 record, three games up
on the hated Yankees. Six members of the Sox were selected as
All-Stars, including Tim Wakefield who will be making his first
appearance at the Midsummer Classic. And the team is largely healthy
and appears primed for another postseason run.
But with four days off for the All-Star break, it’s time to take a
look back on the first half by giving grades to the Red Sox, position
by position.
Remember, no cheating.
Starting pitching
Wakefield: 11 wins and an All-Star Game berth. Same for Josh Beckett. Jon Lester
got off to a rough start, but has rebounded admirably, is second in the
AL in strikeouts and has been arguably the league’s top hurler over the
last three weeks. Brad Penny has far surpassed expectations and John Smoltz has been promising since returning from injury. Daisuke Matsuzaka
has been the lone disappointment … and a big one at that, going 1-5
with an 8.23 ERA before heading to the DL. As a group, though, the Red
Sox are unquestionably the league’s top unit.
Overall grade: A
Relief pitching
Despite an inflated WHIP and strikeout-to-walk ratio, Jonathan Papelbon is still one of the league’s premier closers, finishing off 23 of 25 save opportunities. In setup roles, Manny Delcarmen, Ramon Ramirez and Hideki Okajima have all been excellent, though they’ve struggled a bit of late. Justin Masterson and Takashi Saito have been solid, as well, though both have proven to be very hittable in recent weeks. Fireballing youngster Daniel Bard has shown considerable promise despite occasional lapses with his control.
Overall grade: B+
Catcher
OK, Jason Varitek’s .239 average doesn’t
impress at first glance, but his power numbers more than make up for
it. Tek’s 13 homers so far have tied his total from 2008 and his 38
RBIs are just five shy of last season’s number. His presence behind the
dish has played an invaluable role in the team’s successes on the
mound. George Kottaras hasn’t been pressed into too much duty,
but he’s done a pretty remarkable job of catching Wakefield’s nasty,
fluttering knuckler, allowing just three wild pitches.
Overall grade: B
First base
All-Star Kevin Youkilis was perhaps the AL’s MVP through
April and May, went through a serious slump in June (hitting just .244)
and now appears to be coming back with a vengeance in the middle of
July. He’s sixth in the league in slugging and has hit for both average
and power in the middle of the Sox lineup. He’s started 50 games at
first, and has one measly error, good for a fielding percentage of
.998. Behind Youk, Pawtucket call-up Jeff Bailey hasn’t set the world on fire. But the solid Mark Kotsay and the hot-hitting Aaron Bates have been very reasonable replacements — both at the plate and in the field — since Youk’s move to third.
Overall grade: B+
Second base
Sorry, Ian Kinsler fans … but Dustin Pedroia is the
best second-sacker in the AL. He may not be posting MVP-caliber numbers
again, but he is second in the league in runs (65), seventh in hits
(105), first in doubles (30) and 16th in hitting (.303). He’s also been
great in the clutch and steady in the field, making just five errors so
far.
Overall grade: A-
Third base
When healthy, Mike Lowell has been his
normal, super-solid (if not spectacular) self, hitting .282 with 10
dingers and 41 ribbies before hitting the DL with a sore hip. Youkilis
has taken Lowell’s spot at the hot corner since, and, despite his
recent struggles at the dish, has been steady with the glove.
Overall grade: B
Shortstop
This is unquestionably the toughest grade to give: Do you grade on a curve or stick to the stats? With anointed starter Jed Lowrie missing all but five games and with Julio Lugo sitting out most of April with a torn knee, expectations were very low … but Nick Green
has been the team’s biggest surprise. Despite early questions about
whether or not he’d even make the opening day roster, Green has hit a
solid .257 with four homers (including one game-winning, Pesky’s
Pole-wraparound shot) and 30 RBIs. But it’s at short where Green has
had the biggest influence, sporting terrific range, a powerful arm and
proficiency at turning two. In spot starts since his return to the
team, Lugo has raked at a .284 rate, but he hasn’t produced much power
to speak of. And his play in the field has been a real liability, as
his seven errors (and limited range) in 32 games would suggest.
Overall grade: C (but if we're grading on what was expected, it would be an A)
Outfield
Jason Bay, despite a rough recent road trip,
has been among the AL’s top sluggers through the first half, posting 20
homers, 72 RBIs and 10 stolen bases through 86 games. While he hasn’t
exactly made Sox fans forget predecessor Manny Ramirez, the All-Star starter has produced nearly as much positive without any of the negative. Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury hasn’t
been spectacular at the plate, hitting .297 and getting on base at a
.347 clip, but he’s looked more comfortable since a recent move down in
the order. Ellsbury has shined, however, with the leather, where he
regularly makes difficult, running catches look like effortless cans o’
corn. J.D. Drew, too, has shown his normal pop at the plate,
has been solid in the field and — perhaps, most importantly — has
managed to stay healthy for 76 games. Backups Rocco Baldelli and Kotsay have worked their way in nicely and produced when called upon.
Overall grade: A-
Designated hitter
It looked like David Ortiz was done. Through early June,
Papi had posted a .185 average at the plate, one home run and 18 RBIs.
Sure, he’s still hitting just .222, but he’s been hitting the cover off
the ball of late, spanking 11 homers and driving in 29 runs since June
6. As NESN’s Don Orsillo said Saturday night after Ortiz’s 12th big fly of 2009, “Big Papi’s back, and he’s back in a big way!”
Overall grade: B-
Manager
Casual observers might see the Red Sox lineup and pitching staff and be
unwilling to give credit to Terry Francona for his handling of this
squad. “It’s a team of All-Stars,” they’d say. “How could he not
win with this group?” But it’s not as easy as it might sound. For
waiting out Big Papi’s slump alone, Tito deserves major kudos. For his
handling of the up-and-down bullpen, making the best of the glut of
starting pitching and the persistent support of his streaky lineup,
Francona should be among the favorites for AL Manager of the Year.
Overall grade: A
The Sox were terrific in the first half, sporting the AL’s
best record. So is it wrong to think they’re capable of being even
better?
With continued excellence from the starting pitching, more
consistency from the 'pen and continued production from Ortiz and
health from the top to bottom of the lineup, it should be an exciting
second half in Boston.
