The result was a very matter-of-fact 3-1 win for Chicago as the Red Sox could get very little going offensively.

Jeff Keppinger gave the White Sox all the runs they would need as he broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning with a two out, two-run homer off Doubront as the Chisox again victimized Red Sox pitching with two outs in an inning, a pattern carried over from game one of the series.  Alex Rios added an RBI double for insurance in the eighth with, naturally, two outs.

May 21, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Felix Doubront (22) throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at U.S. Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Quintana had a no-hitter through six before the Red Sox loaded the bases with one out in the seventh on three straight singles by David Ortiz, Mike Napoli and Daniel Nava to finally get Quintana out of the game.

But Jesse Crain struck out both Will Middlebrooks and Stephen Drew with the bases loaded to end the threat.

The Red Sox got another threat going in the eighth as Jarrod Saltalamacchia walked, Jacoby Ellsbury singled and, with one out, moved up on a wild pitch.  After Dustin Pedroia reached on an error by shortstop Alexi Ramirez that scored Salty it looked like a big inning was being set up for Boston.  But Ortiz killed the rally with a first pitch swinging double play ball and that was that.

But despite the result, the big takeaway from this game was that Doubront pitched as well as we’ve seen him pitch this season. He was much more economical with his pitches, something John Farrell and Juan Nieves have been calling for all season.

Doubront went six innings and threw 85 pitches in a pretty clean performance.  In addition to the home run he allowed five hits total with two walks and two strikeouts.  Dominating stuff? No.  But definitely something to build on as perhaps Doubront feels the heat of the soon to be returning Franklin Morales.  Amazing what the possibility of losing your spot in the rotation can do for your performance.

The Red Sox catch a break as they wrap up the series and the road trip tomorrow night at 8:10 as Clay Buchholz opposes Hector Santiago as Boston tries to salvage the final game of the series.

Santiago is filling in for scheduled starter and Chisox ace Chris Sale who was scratched with mild shoulder tendinitis.

May 3, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jonathan Papelbon (58) delivers to the plate during the ninth inning against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies defeated the Marlins 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Andrew Bailey was secured in the offseason from Oakland and Daniel Bard was moved into the starting rotation. We all know how that turned out. Today Bard continues to look under every rock for control and consistency while Bailey seemingly trips over every rock. He injured his thumb in the spring of 2012, was out most of the season and predictably wasn’t right even when he came back to replace Sox head case poster boy Alfredo Aceves. This year he moved in and out of the closer role with Joel Hanrahan until Hanrahan flamed out spectacularly only five weeks into the regular season.

Meanwhile, Papelbon is motoring right along this year; 17 appearances, 8 saves in 8 save opportunities and a 1.02 ERA. Yeah, the old girlfriend looks so much better when you see her dating another guy. Which brings us to today’s Red Sox Roundtable discussion: Should the Red Sox trade for Jonathan Papelbon and, if so, what trade would you put together?

Personally, I’m ready to bring back the Pap. He’ll be 33 in July, hasn’t lost much velocity and appears to be learning to be as deceptive now as he once wasoverpowering. Here’s the catch; the reason he left in the first place was because Boston wouldn’t offer him a multi-year deal. This time around the Sox will have to be bold and offer him a two to three-year package.

Now it’s your turn. What kind of deal would Boston have to offer to make it good enough for Philly to let him go? Or, should the deal be made at all? Our BSI staff – Adian, Conor, Earl, Harry, John and Paul (got two get two more writers named George and Ringo) – will be weighing in. Let ‘s get this party started. Jump in all!

Mar 15, 2013; Sarasota, FL, USA; A Boston Red Sox players hat and glove is seen in the dugout before the start of a spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

This Day In Red Sox History
1988: Bobby Doerr‘s #1 is retired by the Red Sox.

Catching Up With Pedro Martinez

This Day in Baseball History
Babe Ruth‘s circa 1920 jersey sells to an undisclosed buter for $4,415,658, the largest amount ever paid for a piece of sports memorabilia according to auction report.com. The woolen uniform top was probably worn by the Babe during his first season with the Yankees after being traded by Red Sox owner Harry Frazee.

Donnie Baseball on Hotseat in L.A.

So far the returns are pretty good.  The team has improved significantly in a few areas of note.  If had to put a grade on it I’d say B+.  The only thing that brings it down from an A was Farrell leaving Ryan Dempster in a game too long just to get a win when he clearly didn’t have it.  That shouldn’t happen.

May 3, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell (53) watches from the dugout during the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The Rangers won 7-0. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

At 27-18 Farrell has certainly accomplished his first objective of getting the Sox off to a good start.  Last year they did not win their 27th game until June 1 after a 4-10 start.

The pitching staff has thrived under Farrell and his first lieutenant, new pitching coach Juan Nieves.  The pitchers seem to have bought in to the program Farrell and Nieves are teaching and it shows in the results.

Key rotation cogs Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz  have returned to the highly effective forms they had under Farrell when he was the pitching coach for Terry Francona from 2007-2010.

This is probably the most significant factor in Farrell having a successful return in that these two pitchers were expected to rebound under Farrell’s stewardship and lead this rotation and team to good things.  So far, that has happened and Farrell and Nieves deserve the credit for getting through to these two.

Behind the top two, the rest of the pitching staff has fallen into place, despite the team having several injuries out of the bullpen and the ineffectiveness of Daniel Bard to deal with.  Farrell has put his bullpen in the best position to succeed while working around the injuries.  Getting closer Andrew Bailey back will only help give him more flexibility.

The lineup construction has been pretty consistent.  When everyone is healthy, Farrell has been able to keep his starting nine in pretty much the same order.

When the Sox experienced a slump in early May, instead of panicking and shuffling people around, Farrell stayed consistent and the team responded.  He has also been good about getting his starters rest and using his bench effectively.

Apr 22, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell (53) on the field as the players warm up before the start of the game against the Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

But more than anything else Farrell deserves high praise because he has made the Red Sox clubhouse a professional environment.  From what they say the players again want to come to work there day after day.

The players seem to respect Farrell as a manager because they know where they stand with him and that he has their back.  As much as I didn’t like the Dempster incident, I understood why Farrell did it- to build that player-manager bond.

That kind of relationship is invaluable for a group of guys who spend so much time together in such a compact six month period.

Respect and trust are essential for a team to succeed and so far Farrell has done all the right things with his players and those players appreciate it after all the uncertainty and rumors that swirled during the Bobby Valentine regime last year.

So, I’d say Farrell has been as good as advertised by Red Sox management so far.  But what do you think?

Vote in the poll below and let me know and also check out my web show here for more on Farrell’s progress.

May 20, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Jon Lester (31) delivers a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at U.S. Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Red Sox would never be able to recover, even though Jarrod Saltalamacchia answered Chicago’s two runs in the second with a two run blast of his own. In addition to Saltalamacchia, who collected two hits, Will Middlebrooks did produce a two RBI double of his own and also just missed a game-tying home run in the ninth inning, a deep fly to dead center that fell just in front of the 400 foot sign.

Monday’s loss snapped a five game win streak for the Sox, and put them a game and a half behind the 1st place Yankees. Shane Victorino left the game early with left hamstring tightness in the sixth inning.

Tomorrow, the Sox go at it again, trying to start a new win streak against lefty Jose Quintana. Felix Doubront is scheduled to go for the Sox, with hopes he can build off his last start. Game time at 8:10.

April 28, 2013; Boston, MA USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Andrew Bailey (40) pitches during the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The 28-year old right hander was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 6 with a strained right biceps. Skidding shortly after Bailey’s injury, Boston’s bullpen recovered admirably with Junichi Tazawa and, to a lesser extent, Koji Uehara closing out games. Bailey’s 1.46 ERA and five saves in 13 appearances should bolster the rebounding Boston pen. With just two more games in Chicago Bailey will be needed more then ever as the Sox next cruise into Cleveland to play Terry Francona‘s hot Indians club.

“Physically he came through it fine,” Farrell told MLB.com’s Patrick Donnelly on Sunday morning after Bailey’s tuneup appearance on Saturday. “He showed consistent velocity pre-injury. He’ll rejoin us [Monday]. He’ll get checked on, as anyone would in a situation like his, but he came out of last night feeling good physically.”

Bailey’s teammate in Oakland, Craig Breslow, said, ”Bailey was throwing as well as he has in the last five years,” So as long as he can come back and just be himself, I feel like we’re going to be in really good shape.”

June 18, 2012; Omaha, NE, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Ryne Stanek (55) throws against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the second inning of game eight of the 2012 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

Stanek has a fantastic, projectable body (6’4″, 180 lbs) as a tall right-hander with a repeatable delivery. He throws into the high-mid 90′s, topping out around 97 mph with nice, sinking movement and he mixes in a curve, slider, and change. The slider, one of the tight and quick variety, has the potential to be his out pitch in the future. His change and curve need work, but if they develop, there’s no question he’ll be a great pitcher.

As there often are with pitchers who have great stuff but only one or two good pitches, there are questions of whether he’ll start in the majors. If his curve and slider do develop into even average pitches, though, he will continue to be a starter. Stanek would still be a valuable late inning reliever with his arm, but he would obviously be more valuable as a starter. His riskiness as a prospect may deter Ben Cherington though.

With the win Boston swept the three game series and paid the Twins back after Minnesota came to Fenway Park in early May and won 3 out of 4 games.

May 18, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks (16) hits a single in the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Middlebrooks homered in the top of the first to put Boston up 1-0 and Lackey pitched very well, retiring the first twelve batters he faced.

The Twins only run off Lackey came in the fifth when Pedro Ciriaco could not complete a double play and threw wide of first base allowing Trevor Plouffe to come around and score.  The important stat for Lackey, though, was no walks in the game to go along with five strikeouts and only one hit allowed.

After Saturday night’s pitching debacle in which starter Ryan Dempster walked six and couldn’t get out of the fifth inning in a game the Sox won 12-5, it was good to see Lackey settle things down.

After the delay, Andrew Miller  pitched a scoreless seventh,  Koji Uehara struck out the side around loading the bases in the eighth and Junichi Tazawa pitched the ninth to finish up.

Why this game was resumed after thunderstorms moved in prior to the bottom of the seventh inning is anyone’s guess.  The Twins are going nowhere this year and the Sox needed to catch their flight to Chicago.  If the score was reversed you can be sure the game probably would have been called right away.

Pedroia rubbed salt in the Twins wound after the ridiculous rain delay by hitting a two-run homer in the ninth to put the game out of reach.

The Red Sox have won five straight on this important road trip after losing the first game in Tampa.  They are now 14-7 on the road and will try to keep it going tomorrow night in Chicago in the first of three against the White Sox as Jon Lester opposes Dylan Axelrod at 8:10.

The Pitchers

• Allen Webster made a pair of starts this week and apart from some control issues in both starts, he was pretty good. In his first start on Tuesday, he allowed a run on 3 hits and 4 walks while striking out 5 in 5 innings. Today, he allowed just a run on just a hit but walked 5 in 5 innings. That will bring his season statistics to a very impressive 2.40 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 30 innings. He will remain the man to be called upon with any injuries in the big leagues.
• Matt Barnes continues the turnaround from his slow start with a quality start on Friday. He did allow 3 runs on 5 hits and a walk in 6 innings, but he also struck out 7 batters and lowered his ERA to 4.62. Although that doesn’t look impressive, with his peripherals (45 strikeouts to 13 walks in 37 innings), that should change soon.
• Rubby de la Rosa, like Matt Barnes, continues to shake off the demons that plagued him in his first several appearances. He continued that this week in one appearance on Thursday which saw him go 4 innings and allow just an unearned run on a hit and 4 walks. The walks are not very good, but de la Rosa still lowered his season ERA to 3.65 and he has 29 strikeouts in 24.2 innings to boot.
• Anthony Ranaudo did not compile his most impressive start yesterday as he went only 4 innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks with 5 strikeouts. Regardless of this most recent start, however, Ranaudo has had an excellent rebound year in Portland as he holds a 1.67 ERA, and should be due for a promotion soon.

The Hitters

Mar 15, 2013; Sarasota, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Bryce Brentz celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo homerun against the Baltimore Orioles during the top of the fifth inning of a spring training game at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

• Xander Bogaerts has begun to break out of a mini-slump that he has been in recently. He batted .269 with 0 homers and 4 RBIs this week, bringing his season totals to .291/.367/.440 with 2 homers, 7 doubles, 4 triples, and 17 RBIs. The power hasn’t been quite so prevalent this year, but for a 20 year old in Double-A, Bogaerts has played very well and should be deserving of a promotion before year’s end.
• Bryce Brentz has been awfully hot of late and this week was a very productive one for the right fielder. He batted .345 with 1 home run and 5 RBIs this week and has been very good for Pawtucket lately. This brings his season totals to a solid .276/.325/.487 slash line and he has 7 home runs to go with 29 RBIs. It shouldn’t be too long before we see him manning the spacious outfield of Fenway Park.
• Garin Cecchini has been ridiculously hot all season long and this week presented no difference. This past week, Cecchini raked to the tune of a .500 average with 0 homers and 2 RBIs. Cecchini is now hitting .382/.477/.664 to start the year.

Mar 7, 2013; Fort Myers, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox catcher Ryan Lavarnway (20) at bat against the Minnesota Twins during a spring training game at Hammond Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Something has to be done to help Lavarnway have some long-term success at the major league level. My proposition is that we start a nickname trend for the burly catcher, and my input is “Hot Lava.” Here are a few reasons as to “Hot Lava” should become the proper terminology when referring to Ryan Lavarnway.

1. It can be chanted at Fenway Park (HOT LA-VA! HOT LA-VA!)
2. The nickname may get him hot when he isn’t hot, and when he is hot, it will remind the pitchers of that fact.
3. Everyone played the game “The floor is lava” when they were a little kid. This nickname will remind opponents that nobody steps on or screws with Ryan Lavarnway.
4. It just fits.

So, fans of BoSox Injection, let’s make this happen. Next time you go to Fenway Park, start chanting it if Lavarnway comes up to the plate. If you know somebody going to Fenway Park, tell them to start chanting it if Lavarnway comes up to the plate. I’m telling you, there’s no doubt that this nickname will get Lavarnway hot.

However, both pitchers were absolutely terrible all night long. Neither got out of the fifth inning, and Dempster needed 126 pitches to go through all of 4.2 innings. Dempster and Diamond, both usually control pitchers, walked a total of 9 batters in a total of 9 innings. Luckily, the Red Sox were able to hit Diamond better than the Twins hit off of Dempster. 

May 18, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz (34) hits a three run home run in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The Red Sox posted three runs in the first inning on a long home run to right-center field by David Ortiz, his sixth of the year. Ortiz drove in one more run in the third inning on an RBI single that played right fielder Oswaldo Arcia enough so that he couldn’t get a good throw in. The Red Sox took three more runs in the fifth inning, but in the bottom of the fifth, the Twins put a little rally together as well. They scored three runs in the inning and knocked Dempster out of the game, as the Red Sox chose to bring in Clayton Mortensen.

Mortensen worked out of that jam with just one more run scoring but he got himself into another jam in the sixth. That was when Craig Breslow came in and pitched exactly like the Red Sox needed him to. Breslow went 1.2 innings of relief with no runs allowed on a hit and a walk. The Red Sox would supported Breslow in the seventh with a pair of two-run homers by David Ortiz and Daniel Nava to put the Red Sox up 11-5.

From that point on, the game went by pretty quickly (thank God, we would’ve been up until midnight!). The Red Sox tacked on one more run in the top of the ninth with a sacrifice fly by Ryan Lavarnway (Hot Lava had two RBIs in this game). Alex Wilson pitched very well in relief to close out the game, going two scoreless innings while striking out two batters. The one positive I can take from this game is that we’re in a whole lot better of a spot than the Twins.

Mar 15, 2013; Sarasota, FL, USA; A Boston Red Sox players hat and glove is seen in the dugout before the start of a spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

This Day In Red Sox History
1948: The Red Sox lose to the Indians 13-4. Sox pitchers walk a major league record 18 Cleveland batters.

Check Out Matt Kemp’s Killer Catch

We Called This: Stephen Drew Out of Lineup After Back Injury

5 Realistic Moves Boston Could Make at the Deadline

May 4, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks (16) bats in the 4th inning of the game against the Texas Rangers at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The Rangers beat the Red Sox 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

One of my first posts here at BSI was in regards to Will Middlebrooks and his likelihood of succumbing to a sophomore slump. For those that didn’t read the piece or are just too lazy to go back and read it now, I basically concluded that Middlebrooks was set up for failure this year because he likely would not get on base enough to buoy his inevitable drop in his batting average on balls in play (BABIP). (See quote below)

For those that haven’t yet figured it out yet, what scares me the most regarding Middlebrooks’ sophomore campaign is that he won’t hit for a high enough average to maintain an even acceptable on base percentage. By now, most understand the importance of on-base percentage in today’s game and even with secondary skills such as power and strong defense, a player can lose a ton of value if he cannot get on base at a decent clip. For some, Middlebrooks is expected to be an all-star and anchor for a lineup that could be without David Ortiz for some time. This year I just don’t see that happening.

This year has obviously not gone as planned for Middlebrooks, as he has simply been one of the worst regulars in baseball this year. Offensively, defensively, you name it, Middlebrooks has been subpar. Contrary to what his strong, 6’3″, 220 lb frame would suggest, Middlebrooks has hit more like an emaciated middle infielder with his .205/.239/.417 slash line. This disastrous start has caused some to clamor for acquiring a potential upgrade through trade while others have demanded an outright demotion for the Texas native.

So what stands as the reason behind Middlebrooks’ struggles? The most obvious culprit is his absolutely dreadful walk rate. Middlebrooks walks at a clip of 3.9%, eleventh worst in the majors right now, which is even lower than noted free swingers Josh Hamilton (5.4%) and Pablo Sandoval (5.6%). While this certainly is true and deserving of the blame, there happens to be more issues at hand than just his phobia for walks.

At Fangraphs.com (I highly recommend the site; I am a huge fan of its analysis and wealth of information), every Major League player’s plate discipline stats can be found and compared relative to his peers. When glancing over Middlebrooks’ statistics, his inability to lay off pitches outside of the strike zone and his swing percentage as a whole unsurprisingly both rate as above average. These are both expected to be seen from a free swinger such as Middlebrooks.

However, the numbers that jump out the most are those that highlight his inability to even make contact with the baseball. Looking at Middlebrooks’ O-Contact% (contact with pitches outside the strike zone), Z-Contact% (contact of pitches inside the zone) and Contact% (contact percentage in general), all show well below average marks. For example, here are the league averages for each of these statistics, with Middlebrooks’ numbers in parenthesis.

O-Contact%: 68% (50.5%)

Z-Contact%: 88% (84.5%)

Contact%: 81% (73.4%)

Clearly, Middlebrooks has trouble even just putting the bat on ball, which can also be seen in his absurd 28% K rate. That probably isn’t news to many, as it becomes quite apparent for anyone who watches a Sox game that Middlebrooks strikes out a lot. But the part that I find extremely troubling is that for someone who chases pitches out of the strike zone at an above average clip, he makes contact on those pitches much less than the average player (17.5% to be exact). Simply, he continues to chase pitches that he will never hit to begin with, putting himself in situations he is likely to fail (such as falling behind in the count) or K outright.

May 18, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks (16) hits a single in the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

This dangerous combination of walk avoidance and inability to make contact does not bode well for future success. Players that tend to succeed with poor walk rates at least make enough contact to support solid batting averages, something that I alluded to in my first Middlebrooks article. Without a change in approach or a sudden improvement in hand-eye coordination, Sox fans should be worried about the future for their young third baseman. His BABIP fueled rookie campaign disguised some of the underlying plate discipline and contact issues, which unfortunately are just now rearing their ugly head.

It is worth noting that just as Middlebrooks probably experienced good luck last year in terms of his average on balls in play, his .240 BABIP definitely isn’t doing him any favors either. With that said, even the likely improvement in this category still should make Sox fans question whether Middlebrooks will be manning the hot corner in the upcoming years. Players that strike out in 30% of their plate appearances quite simply, have trouble staying in the majors without acceptable walk rates or more well-rounded skillsets.

Middlebrooks’ career is far from written in stone. He’s still learning to tap into some of that plus power and has been profiled as a solid defender most of his career, even with this year’s struggles (6 errors, -7 defensive runs saved). There was a reason he was a highly touted prospect for years and was absolutely one of the few bright spots on an otherwise catastrophic 2012 season. This year, the game of baseball has made an adjustment to him, and has succeeded in exposing him thus far. Now, it’s time for Middlebrooks to make an adjustment of his own.

Jul 4, 2011; Boston, MA, USA; A general view during a flyover past a large American flag draped over the green monster prior to a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

After all, Manaea is certainly stuff-oriented. Although he is a bit raw and he doesn’t have as good a feel for pitching as many of the college pitchers that get drafted, Manaea simply has wicked stuff. He struck out 85 batters in 51.2 innings last summer and has struck out 88 in 68.1 innings with Indiana State so far this season. More often than not, batters just can’t touch Manaea’s mid-90′s fastball when he’s mixing in his hard slider and chance with success, and Manaea is as intimidating as any on the mound.

Ben Cherington hasn’t been a very risky general manager so far, and thus Manaea may not be the most likely choice. Even though he has filthy stuff, Manaea may not round into a plus major league starting pitcher, or even a major league starting pitcher. Still, it’s hard to argue that Manaea doesn’t have some of the best stuff in the draft and I would not be opposed to the Red Sox picking him in the first round.

May 17, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Daniel Nava (29) hits a single in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013 edition of the Old Towne Team is a different animal. After a torrid April start, they stumbled badly in early May, at one point dropping three in a row, six of seven and nine of 11. They looked to again be baseball’s version of Muhammed Ali, rope a doping their way through a series of beatings good, bad and ugly. April’s invincible armor, once a mere chink, ruptured into a gaping crevasse. Fans quickly became disenchanted and the murmurs of a long skid that would soon have the Sox in the same neighborhood as the Angels and Dodgers approached a shriek amongst the Twitterati.  I wrote a piece outlining my own supreme frustration with the beat downs. And then a funny thing happened. Before our eyes this team wonderfully grew a backbone.

It’s as if the team suddenly got a collective Dustin Pedroia dirt dog infusion. The bullpen pitching stiffened and the hitting, although still not stout – with the exception of a 9-2 eruption against the Rays – got timely hits when they needed to, capped by a 3-2 extra inning win against the Twins Friday night. Boston has won three in a row and is 1 game behind New York in the AL East.

Welcome back to improving health patient. Red Sox Nation hopes for a continued speedy recovery.

Jun 11, 2011; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina third baseman Colin Moran (18) throws to first during the first inning of the Chapel Hill super regional of the 2011 NCAA baseball tournament at Boshamer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

However, being the #7 pick in the draft would have to entail a somewhat high ceiling and Moran has the chance to be a very good major league player. Moran has a great hitter’s frame at 6’3″, 209 lbs and will likely grow into more power as he fills out. He’s no slouch at the plate right now though, as he has hit .379/.512/.636 with 13 home runs with the Tarheels this year. The metal bats used in college obviously bump up his power numbers a bit, but power isn’t the main reason the Red Sox would draft him.

That reason would be that he is arguably the best pure hitter in the draft. His smooth, polished hitting mechanics make for a player who makes solid contact as much as anyone in college baseball. He has good enough opposite field power that he could probably compare to an Adrian Gonzalez type as his absolute ceiling, somebody who hits over .300 with around 20 home runs, a good number of which are over the monster. That would be the ceiling, but even if Moran doesn’t turn into Adrian Gonzalez, a guy who consistently hits .280-.300 with 15-25 homers has a ton of value.

Minnesota starter, Vance Worley, baffled the Sox all night long, allowing only one run on six hits and three walks, while striking out only one in six innings pitched. The Sox struck early against Worley, as Daniel Nava scored on a David Ortiz single to right field to put the Sox up 1-0.

May 17, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz (11) walks off the mound after finishing the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

That was all the offense could muster against Worley and the rest of the night looked like an exercise in futility. Worley got the Sox to ground into double play after double play, as Dustin Pedroia had two which ended their respective innings. Will Middlebrooks quickly negated Ortiz’s leadoff single in the sixth with yet another twin killing

Clay Buchholz, who came into the game looking for his seventh win, was not nearly as sparing with the Twins offense. While Buchholz was lights out through two, he labored through the middle innings. After surrendering a leadoff double in the third to Trevor Plouffe, Buchholz then lost a curveball which Pedro Florimon sent over the right field wall to put the Twins up 2-1. Buchholz struggled through the next two innings, allowing men to reach all night long, but he sharpened up and survived through the seventh, having only given up two earned runs.

May 17, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (2), left fielder Jonny Gomes (5) and left fielder Daniel Nava (29) celebrate after beating the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. The Red Sox won 3-2 in 10 innings. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Clay wouldn’t suffer the loss however, with Worley out of the game; the Red Sox beat up on reliever Brian Duensing. Duensing walked Gomes to start the seventh, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a single to put men on the corners with only one out. Jacoby Ellsbury then hit a ball back up the middle that Florimon couldn’t wrangle, allowing Gomes to score and tie the game at two.

The tie lasted until the top half of the tenth. Pedroia singled to right, off of reliever Josh Roenicke who then walked David Ortiz to put two on with no one out. After a Middlebrooks sacrifice bunt, Stephen Drew took the intentional walk to load the bases for Gomes. Gomes flew out to center fielder, Aaron Hicks, who botched the throw home when left fielder Oswaldo Arcia collided with Hick. Pedroia tagged up and easily beat the wayward through to give the Sox the three to two lead. Koji Uehara pitched the tenth, closing the door on Boston’s third straight win.

May 14, 2013; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (15) misses a ground ball during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

After a lapse in leadership in 2012 – publicly sniping with then manager Bobby Valentine and sporting a sub par (for him) slashline of .290, .347, .449, .797 – Pedroia is back in fighting form in 2013.

As of Friday night’s tilt against the Twinkies in Minneapolis, Pedroia’s slashline was a gaudy .340, .429, .421, .851. Among MLB players, he is eighth in average and sixth in on base percentage. True, his pop hasn’t been present this year – a bizarre single home run after averaging 13 per year in his first six seasons – but in all other regards the guy has been killing it.

He leads all second basemen in batting average, on base percentage and walks (25) and is in a five way tie with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.

Then there are intangibles. His intensity, never say die attitude and gritty dirt dog playing style have not abated throughout his career and 2013 is no different.

The Red Sox have had plenty of good second basemen over the years; Mike Andrews, Jerry Remy, Marty Barrett, Billy Goodman and Jody Reed. With the exception of the great Hall of Famer Bobby Doerr, none of them could hold Pedey’s jock.

We have been spoiled by his consistently superior play. Don’t take it for granted. Relish his time on the field and savor the level of excellence he achieves day in and day out. Boston has him under contract through 2015 when he will turn 32. At this rate and given good health, Pedroia should be able to finish his career in Boston and be paid handsomely to do so.

Bobby Doerr’s Career Stats:
Played for Boston: 1937-1944, 1946-1951 (13 years)
Boston Stats: 1,865 G, .288 BA, 223 HR,1,247 RBI, 2,042 H, 1,094 R, 381 2B, 809 BB

Dustin Pedroia Career Stats to Date:
Played for Boston: 2006-Present (6.25 years – almost exactly 1/2 of Doerr’s career)
Boston Stats: 897 G, .304 BA, 91 HR, 426 RBI, 1079 H, 586 R, 255 2B, 374 BB

Pedroia’s Projected Stats (over the same 13 year career)
1,570 G, .289 (based on 5% drop in average in last half of career), 159 HR, 746 RBI, 1,888 H, 1,026 R, 446 2B, 655 BB

Mar 15, 2013; Sarasota, FL, USA; A Boston Red Sox players hat and glove is seen in the dugout before the start of a spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

This Day In Red Sox History
1944: Bobby Doerr hits for the cycle in a game against St. Louis. He goes on to repeat the feat three years later, the only Red Sox player to have done it twice.

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Farrell Expresses Concern For Struggling Bard

Check Out This Photo

The win, combined with a Yankees’ loss, moved the Sox to within one game of New York.

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