Runs, Hits and Errors: Pot Shots and Random Thoughts

In this edition of RHE a little less arithmetic (OK, OK, there’s some stats – this is baseball after all) and a lot more intangibles.

Runs:
Watching Will Middlebrooks in his first major league start made me want the Red Sox to trade Kevin Youkilis as soon as possible while he may still have some value. In his first major league plate appearance, Middlebrooks worked the count, drew a walk and promptly stole second base. He was solid in the field. Sound like anybody we used to know? Friday night in Boston through seven innings he had doubled and scored.

"Middlebrooks is ready for prime time. Pull the trigger. If you’re feeling nostalgic remember that, at the end of day, baseball is a business and we all love it when the team wins."

Please don’t misunderstand. I have always loved Youk. He’s been there for two world titles. He’s a gamer. When Bobby V misstepped early in the season and unwittingly called out Youk’s desire he responded by essentially saying that he was not the most physically gifted athlete but that he always made up for it by playing hard and sacrificing his body. The piper must now be paid. Youk is breaking down. His body can’t sustain the rigors of a 162 game season. He’s a good DH on another team if he can get back to being selective and working pitchers to death. For Boston the time is now to insert Middlebrooks for good. If you need more proof regarding who should be Boston’s starting third baseman, watch Nick Punto‘s bobble of a can of corn earlier this week during another Boston near-total meltdown. Ugly.

Without Jacoby Ellsbury in the lineup Boston has attempted to steal just 12 times this year, eight times successfully. This feels like Boston teams since, well, forever until Ellsbury.

Hits:
Ryan Sweeney continues to absolutely and improbably tear it up. He’s batting .361 after coming over from Oakland and has been in the middle of either scoring or knocking in runs all season. His figures make you go figure.

Dustin Pedroia. What can you say? Pedey’s line is .294 (BA), .339  (OBP), .471 (Slugging) and an .810 (slugging + OBP). Forget about that.

"If you paid attention this week, Pedroia made two jaw dropping plays in the field in crucial situations. Bobby Valentine says he wasn’t able to appreciate Pedroia until he got up close and personal every day. He’s the real deal kids. Revel in it. You are witnessing something special."

His diving stab to the middle and a gun out from the knees to first coupled with his take it on the fly catch, bag, pivot and gun across the body double play in Boston’s 11-6 Monday win proves that the heart and soul of Boston still beats. He has a 17 game hit streak against the Os and has a career .338 average against the Birds. Pedey. The man. Hey, regular guys can excel in baseball.

Errors:
1. This one goes collectively to the entire Red Sox team. Last week Boston started Monday on the heels of a hot road streak. They’d clawed their way to .500. So what did they do after returning to Fenway? Yep, they laid a king sized egg by dropping two out of three to Oakland. These are the series that try men’s souls. These are the teams that cause you to look back at the end of a season with that woulda, shoulda, coulda angst. Losing two in a row against a bad team makes you, well, a bad team. At the very best .500 is what you deserve. The team has still yet to gel and find it’s identity. The clock is ticking.

2. Could there be a more ugly looking outfielder than Cody Ross? Love the guy. Love his work ethic. As a defender on the corners he gives me the creeps. Watching him track fly balls in left and right field would make Chubby Checker envious of his twists.

3. Kelly Shoppach. There’s a reason Boston moved him the first time. After eight years in the bigs he’s hitting .225. That’s all he’ll ever be. A half decent defensive catcher who threatens the Mendoza line with each at bat. I hate watching that rusty gate swing. Ick.

4. Adrian Gonzalez. What happened to the guy who was going to terrorize the Green Monster? Looks like he got left back in San Diego. His power is non-existent and virtually all his offensive numbers are way down this year.
2004-2011, average number of home runs per season: 31 (in cavernous Petco Park – 1 year in Fenway)
2012 regular season home run pace: 8 (in the cozy confines of Fenway Park)
It’s feeling to me like his shoulder may have been worse than Boston management knew when he came to Boston. Since he’s been in Boston he has shown all the competitive fire of a dish rag.

4. Jonathan Papelbon has appeared in 11 games to date for the Phillies. He has finished 11 of those games. His ERA. 0.82. He has nine saves. And Red Sox management cheaped out and wouldn’t cough up big dollars for a long-term contract for what reason? Numers don’t lie. The fastest man in the history of major league baseball to 200 wins is Jonathan Papelbon. Do you need me to rub this in? OK, fine:

• 4x All-Star (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
• Holds the single-season record for most saves in a season by a Red Sox rookie (2006)
• Second in 2006 American League Rookie of the Year voting to Justin Verlander
• First pitcher in Red Sox franchise history to have three 30 save seasons
• Holds the Major League record for most consecutive scoreless innings to start a postseason career (25)
• Holds the Red Sox record for most saves
• Only pitcher to record 25 saves in each of his first five full seasons; he has gone beyond that and recorded 30 in each of those years
• Fastest pitcher in MLB history to reach 200 career saves

Oh, by the way. Have a great weekend.