Red Sox Strut: Week Two

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:

Last week the positional strut was Hanley Ramirez, but that was week one and this is week two. Ramirez, however, had a nice week with his first Fenway home run and a three run shot on a disappointing loss on Sunday. Ramirez finished the week hitting .273 and tallying five RBI, but strut will pass on a back-to-back for Hanley.

David Ortiz is starting to get his stroke back with a .375 average for the week and a home run. Ortiz also put on a temper display Sunday after a questionable call and was requested by the home plate umpire to enjoy the rest of his afternoon from the clubhouse. No, Papi, control your ire and give your team a shot.

The strut for the week goes to “Mr. Everywhere,” Brock Holt.

Holt shuffled around the diamond as John Farrell’s plug in where needed. Many a player enjoys the stability of permanency, but Holt apparently thrives on defensive diversity. Holt hit .368 for the week and picked up two RBI in his nomadic quest around the field. Right or left-hand pitching does little to deter his hitting and his defense is solid no matter where he is positioned. So Holt can strut for a week.

Apr 11, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Brock Holt (26) hits a 3 RBI double during the eighth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Boston Red Sox won 8-4. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Pitcher:

Clay Buchholz made a reasonable recovery from the fur ball he coughed up in New York with a six inning effort, allowing two runs on seven hits and impressively working out of a bases loaded and no out situation. Saturday was good but not strutable.

Rick Porcello stepped up at the beginning of the week with eight strong innings against the Nationals and, unfortunately, followed it up with a five inning, 12 hit and eight run debacle against the rivals from Baltimore.

Porcello’s was just one of a series of failures among the starters for the week. Justin Masterson, Wade Miley and a 5.1 inning start by Joe Kelly is not what a bullpen needs. So that means the strut goes to a bullpen performer.

Koji Uehara is back. Two perfect innings, each with a pair of strikeouts, earned the 40-year-old Uehara both his first win and first save of the season. That is certainly some favorable news for Red Sox fans after Koji’s poor finish in 2014 and injury issues to begin the season. So Koji can strut in from the bullpen.

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