Red Sox Strut: Week Six

By Rick McNair | May 18, 2015

Now, to fully understand what the Red Sox Strut is, it means to have reason to walk with a confident, proud air around you. Some people mistake it for vanity, arrogance, or being pompous. This incorrect assumption is not what we mean. The Strut is about knowing that your deeds showed off your amazing skills to the baseball-loving public.

Position Player:

The team is 11th in runs, 14th in batting average, 11th in OBP and 14th in WAR. That is not a typical Red Sox team.

Pablo Sandoval had a pair of home runs and little else. Xander Bogaerts chipped in with some steady hitting. David Ortiz busted out of a 68 at bat home run drought. Blake Swihart has gone 5 of 17 in his last five games. The reality is that is very little offense. In fact, a team that was supposed to rake is just not producing.

There is one player who has stood out and has since his return from the DL – Shane Victorino. The defense and the offense is a throwback to 2013 and vintage Victorino. Victorino has played five games in his return and is hitting .353 (6 for 17) with a home run and one RBI. Least we not forget “The Catch” and “The Throw.”

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So Victorino can do a Strut as long as he doesn’t pull a hammy doing it.

Pitcher:

New pitching coach? Big Oakland ballpark? A Seattle offense that is not that productive?

The rotation suddenly surfaced to what was expected and more. Wade Miley tossed 6.2 innings without allowing a run. Miley did his best to be one hit away from having a game blown open, but, hey, he weaseled out of the jams. Kuddo’s to Miley.

Clay Buchholz picked up a “W” and a Quality Start in Toronto and built on it. Eight innings of one run ball with 11 K’s and zero walks. Too bad manager John Farrell had brain freeze – otherwise Sox may have had a win. A Buchholz tease? Time will tell.

Rick Porcello has the fat contract and payment is due. Porcello outdueled the “King” himself – Felix Hernandez. Porcello went 6.2 innings and picked up his fourth win. The Debbie Downer? Two more home runs.

Joe Kelly tossed 6.1 innings against the M’s in a Sox late effort win. Kelly, he of exceptional heat, walked three and struck out two. Kelly, for only the second time this season, did not allow a home run. A nice 92 pitch effort.

Least not to be overlooked is some quality bullpen work. Steven Wright came in for the pitching piñata – Justin Masterson – and went 5.2 innings in a bullpen saving appearance. Then he went another five on Sunday, allowing two earned runs. Oh…and Koji Uehara continues to baffle with a string of hitless saves. Tommy Layne, Matt Barnes and Junichi Tazawa all had some positive impact.

So who to choose? This Strut goes to the rotation. This was the way it was drawn-up back in the off-season and, just maybe, this is the way it will play out.

Much maligned they stepped up with a series of excellent performances.

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