Red Sox Strut: Close, But All Betts Are On

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.

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This week’s Strut is a little bit different than in previous weeks. As Mookie Betts was named American League Player of the Week, who are we to argue? Instead, we will be looking at who was close to winning the Strut award for both pitcher and position player, this week.

Pitcher

It was pretty much a no-brainer to pick starting pitcher Wade Miley, if you looked at the fact that he has two wins in the last seven games. Yet, how many people would have guessed that Miley would be strutting his stuff on the mound twice in a row?

Jun 18, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher

Clay Buchholz

(11) at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

In recent weeks, prospect-turned-starter Eduardo Rodriguez looked like the real deal, but Clay Buchholz, actually, had an even better start. Last Thursday, Buchholz threw 7.0 innings, allowing no runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out three Atlanta Braves.

The key to Miley’s victory strut this week (excuse the pun) is not that he had two wins, but that he showed consistent success in two straight games. The two games that Buchholz started, prior to Atlanta, were against the Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays, where he gave up four runs each. Both of those games, Buchholz never saw an out in the seventh inning, while giving up a combined 18 hits.

In 12.1 innings of work, Miley has allowed only two earned runs, 10 hits, five walks, and 10 strikeouts. Opposing batters have only hit .217 in that stretch. Can it be true? Has Miley possibly turned the corner to Consistency Town?

Position Player

As previously mentioned, Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts is a beast.

Wait, that’s not what was said above, but it should have been. The man is absolutely on fire again, after some critics were dismissing him, feeling like he had to go back to Triple-A for some more time. He’s hitting .556 with two home runs and six RBIs; the man’s not going anywhere.

Jun 21, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Boston Red Sox third basemen Brock Holt (26) at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Yet, while pondering what life would have been like if he was sent down to the minors and not have become the A.L. Player of the Week, who would have had a chance at the Strut? It would have been a pretty close tie between starting shortstop Xander Bogaerts and utility-man-who-should-be-a-starter Brock Holt.

While Bogaerts had five RBIs this week, so too did Holt, while hitting .462/.517/.962 as only the bolt of energy for the Red Sox can do.

What’s even more impressive is the fact that Holt has been doing this effort consistently, especially when it was easy to crumble. Holt has had to hit often from the top of the order, where a lot of pressure could have derailed any veteran. Holt persevered, played any position asked of him, and has hit better than anyone, save Betts, on the team. Considering that this team was built for players like Hanley Ramirez, Pablo Sandoval, and David Ortiz to crank the ball and bring in runs, it seems like the Red Sox youth are stealing the show.

Final Thought:

What do you think? Was Miley lucky? Should Buchholz be considered the better pitcher? Will Mookie or Brock continue to lead the team to victories? Will all of it wash away as they come back to the American League East to play the Baltimore Orioles?

Have your say, here!

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