Lackey Continues Spring Dominance

NESN

What John Lackey is trying to do every time he toes the rubber has been apparent in his first Spring Training with the Red Sox. Lackey throws strikes at an incredibly high rate, and today’s performance was no exception. Lackey threw 28 strikes on 39 pitches in 4 innings this afternoon against the New York Mets. So far this Spring, Lackey has appeared in 3 games, thrown 9 innings, while allowing  only 5 hits with 3 K’s and 0 BB’s. Theo has to be feeling pretty good thus far about the big contract he threw at Lackey this offseason.

Ramon Ramirez didn’t fare as well as Lackey in today’s contest, blowing the 1-0 lead in the 8th inning, walking 2 and giving up a 3-run blast to Fernando Martinez. Both teams would add one more run as the Sox saw themselves on the losing end of a 4-2 score. The Sox have now lost 4 straight grapefruit league games and their offense has been unable to provide any support for the  pitching staff. Let’s hope this is only a temporary problem…

On the positive side of the past few days, David Ortiz has apparently gotten his grove back since his HR against the Oriole’s on Monday and has now hit in three straight games. Ortiz had 2 of the 4 team hits on Tuesday afternoon and added another to his stats in today’s contest. It is always a great comfort to see Big Papi hitting the ball consistently, especially after his early season troubles in 2009. If the Sox offense is going to be productive and successful in 2010, Papi will have to be a rock in the middle of the lineup.

After a day off from games on Thursday, the Sox travel to Bradenton, FL on Friday for a 1:05pm contest with the Pittsburgh Pirates.