Dodger Duo Delivering Early Knockout Punch
In baseball a classic twin killing is a double play. For the Red Sox this spring their twin killing is defined as Rubby De La Rosa and Allen Webster, both of whom came to Boston by way of Los Angeles and who are so far making Magic Johnson wonder about the high-dollar, aging threesome of Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett and Adrian Gonzalez for which he dealt the pair.
Feb 25, 2013; Dunedin, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Allen Webster (64) during the bottom of third inning of a spring training split squad game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Florida Exchange Park. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
De La Rosa and Webster have been nothing short of spectacular in the opening weeks of Boston’s spring season. De La Rosa has been clocked a number of times at or near 100 mph and Webster has regularly been gunned in the mid to high nineties
The two combined have pitched 9 innings, have a .90 ERA, .625 WHIP, 1 walk and eight strike outs. Without getting too far ahead of myself the Dodger/Red Sox deal is currently looking like one of the greatest steals in recent memory.
De La Rosa, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery and will be 24 today, has been electric early on. He has not backed down to any hitter and has thrown hard, harder, hardest with movement. His presence, if consistent, could make the back end of Boston’s bullpen very stout.
Depending on how things go with Felix Doubront, injuries in the starting rotation or Boston’s middle relief, Webster could become a key component on a number of dimensions.
One thing is certain. Boston currently has more pitching options than they’ve had in the last three seasons. If this dynamic duo continues to perform as they have to date. Boston could do a whole lot better than .500 in 2013.
Tonight’s the night, I’m gonna push it to the limit
I live all of my years in a single minute
Fill my eyes with that double vision
No disguise for that double vision
Ooh, when it gets through to me, it’s always new to me
My double vision always seems to get the best of me, the best of me, yeah-eah eah-eah-hey
– Double Vision, Foreigner