BoSox Injection
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Red Sox first half player and management grades

By Rick McNair

KANSAS CITY, MO -JUNE 20: John Farrell
KANSAS CITY, MO -JUNE 20: John Farrell /
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The Boston Red Sox finished the first 81 games in first place in the American League East. The following is my perspective on the grades.

BOSTON, MA – APRIL 13: General view of the bleacher seats scoreboard before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays during the home opener on April 13, 2012 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – APRIL 13: General view of the bleacher seats scoreboard before the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays during the home opener on April 13, 2012 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

The halfway point of the season and the Red Sox are showing they may well be a playoff team – that was certainly expected. Just where they finish will be the question going forward in the second half. Will it be a division title? Wild Card? First place for now.

The Red Sox pitching has been surprisingly solid with all the injuries to the staff. Losing Steven Wright kicked one block out of the rotation and then others fell by the injury wayside. Maybe coaches Carl Willis and Brian Bannister deserve some big time credit?

Where it has ground to a halt is on the offensive side. The loss of David Ortiz hurt the run production and maybe a stabilizing clubhouse presence? The Red Sox have floated around the middle of the American League in the offense for the first half and the power threat is minimal. No Aaron Judge or Edwin Encarnacion for Boston.

Maybe the offense will suddenly ignite in the second half, but when the Tampa Bay Rays hit far more home runs and score more runs than the Red Sox the world is truly upside down.

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