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:
Shane Victorino, last week’s offensive Strut, was perfect for the week with three hits in three at bats. Unfortunately the three at bats were the result of not being on the field as the latest injury is an injured calf that was exasperated by laying it out defensively.
Xander Bogaerts is on a tear. A big two run bases loaded single bumped up a lead against LA to 6-2. Bogaerts also had his second home run of the season against the Rangers. Bogaerts offensive stats are among the league leaders for short stops after a four for four Sunday and a 10/22 (.455) for the week. X-Man is now at .290 for the season
Mad Max has been rebooted and that brings back memories of one of the great characters in movies – “Master Blaster.” Mike Napoli has become “Master Basher” in the last week. Napoli, who appeared lost, suddenly sprang into spring training form – a spring in which he rocked. For the week Napoli sent five out of Fenway and corralled 10 RBI for the week. Napoli hit .429 for the week.
So Napoli will get the position player Strut thanks to his long ball and RBI antics.
Pitcher:
Rick Porcello will be left off the nomination ledger after a dreadful performance against the Angels. Porcello did the unmentionable as his offense handed him a 3-2 lead. How did Porcello respond? Two straight walks on the way to opening up the game – for LA.
Steven Wright continues to resurrect the thoughts of another Tim Wakefield or Wilbur Wood. Wood, from Belmont, Massachusetts, turned to the K-Ball and became baseball’s last 20 game winner and loser in the same season. But Wright did a nice 6.1 innings of four hit and two run pitching on the way to a needed win.
Clay Buchholz managed a 7.1 inning and two earned run performance against Texas. Buchholz appears to have found a groove with three decent performances. Buchholz has lowered his once stratospheric ERA to 4.58.
Joe Kelly has gone back-to-back with good performances. The last was seven innings of two run ball against the Rangers.
Wade Miley followed up a 6.1 inning no run performance with a seven inning two run performance against Texas to get his record to 3-4 as he attempts to extricate himself from the early season morass and that is exactly what he did on Sunday. Miley posted win number four and was dominant.
Miley went eight innings and allowed a single run as he meticulously stifled the Angels with a variety of pitches, quick work and 97 pitches that included 61 strikes. If this is the real Miley (last three starts) the Red Sox have spent wisely and Mr. Miley can strut right into his next start.
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