After 21-year-old Henderson Alvarez threw six shutout innings, 21-year-old Brett Lawrie hit the game-winning homer in the 11th. Those are just two of many very impressive youngsters on the rosters of Boston's chief competitors. Many of them could be the Jeters and Longorias and Halladays of the future.
Using 25 as a cutoff age, here are some of the many rising stars that have hurt the Red Sox (who have just one everyday contributor younger than 26 in Josh Reddick) in recent days, and could continue to do so in the very near future:
Gio Gonzalez, 25: The winning pitcher in Oakland's only victory in three games at Fenway Park last month, Gonzalez is 27-20 with a 3.22 ERA over the last two years.
Jemile Weeks, 24: The A's rookie second baseman batted leadoff in that three-game set in Boston, batting .417 (5-for-12) with two doubles, three walks and three stolen bases. He is hitting .291 in 78 games since being called up.
Brandon Allen, 25: A potential middle-of-the-order bat in Oakland for years to come, Allen hammered at least 20 home runs each year from 2008-11 in the minors. He has slugged at a .487 clip in 34 games this year.
Jesus Montero, 21: New York's top prospect made his major league debut at Fenway Park last week, scoring a run in a come-from-behind win. He received two curtain calls at Yankee Stadium on Labor Day after hitting opposite-field homers in consecutive at-bats.
Elvis Andrus, 23: Like Gonzalez, he's not a new name, but Andrus is still developing and just now showing signs of getting to that next level. He is a slick defender and is improving at the plate, as evidenced by his performance in Fenway last weekend, when he went 4-for-10 with a home run, a double, five walks, one stolen base and six runs scored.
Derek Holland, 25: If the playoffs began today, the Red Sox may be facing this guy in Game 2 or 3 of the ALDS, and if he pitches like he did in Fenway this weekend, they can forget about winning that one. Holland dissected Boston's lineup Friday night. He allowed just two hits, both singles, and struck out six in a 10-0 rout. Holland is beginning to realize his potential. He could be an ace for years to come for Texas.
Alvarez, 21: He may not have all the hype of some of the others on this list, but if you saw him surgically dispatch of the Red Sox, and do so with a confident air beyond his years, you know he has the potential to be something special. Alvarez, who will still be 21 when next season begins, has thrown 14 consecutive scoreless innings.
Lawrie, 21: If you saw him sticking his tongue out as he rounded the bases Monday, you see the swagger that the Jays love and that Red Sox fans could eventually hate, especially if he plays like he has early in his major league career. Lawrie enters Tuesday batting .318 with 19 extra-base hits (eight home runs) in 30 games since being recalled.
Desmond Jennings, 25: Boston's next series takes the club to Florida for a meeting with Mr. Jennings and his Tampa Bay Rays. That organization's top prospect has not disappointed since being called up in July, hitting .311 with eight homers and 15 steals in 42 games. One of those eight homers and one of those 15 steals came in a three-game set in Boston last month, which saw the Rays take two of three.
Jeremy Hellickson, 24: Scheduled to start Saturday against the Sox, Hellickson is one of the leading candidates for AL Rookie of the Year. He threw his second complete game Sunday against Baltimore, improving to 12-10 with a 2.90 ERA, fifth in the AL. Hellickson won in Fenway back in April and nearly matched Josh Beckett in a memorable duel in The Trop on June 15, the night everyone was watching the Bruins win the Stanley Cup.
