Tag Archives: Red Sox

Catching Up with Former Red Sox’s Reggie Jefferson

The other day I had the privilege of speaking with former Red Sox player Reggie Jefferson. Reggie played parts of nine seasons in the big leagues, the final five of which were spent with the Red Sox. He batted .300 for his career, a rare accomplishment in the grand scheme of baseball history. I spoke with him about his playing days, the way the game has changed and what he is doing nowadays.

The Early Years

Reggie’s career began in Cincinnati before quickly moving cross state to the Cleveland Indians. In Cleveland he wore number 44 in honor of Hank Aaron. Eventually, he would settle on number 18 for most of his career to honor a friend back home who had become like a big brother to him.

Reggie was traded from Cleveland after the 1993 season in a deal that would net the Indians Omar Vizquel, a man I think should be making the Hall of Fame in the coming years. Reggie said when he runs into Cleveland fans he tells them they should love him because he helped bring the club Omar Vizquel. Vizquel, one of the all-time greats defensively at short, blossomed as a hitter for the Indians. Meanwhile, Reggie viewed this as a chance for more playing time. The move also reunited him with Manager Lou Piniella, who he had been with in Cincinnati. As he pointed out, Seattle had Alex Rodriguez coming up through the minors and viewed Vizquel as being expendable. But Piniella must have liked what he had seen from his one-time rookie.

Hitting Stride

Jefferson’s breakout started that season in Seattle. He batted .327 with an excellent .935 OPS before the strike hit. He credits Lou Piniella a lot for his newfound success at the plate. Piniella helped him make changes at the plate; adjust his hands to help put him in a better position to get hits.

That season Reggie abandoned switch hitting. He had switch hit through the minors with good success, hitting for similar averages from both sides of the plate but with more power from his natural left side. However, in the Bigs there were always good right-handed options on the bench. With limited at-bats from the right side, Reggie had a hard time finding a groove. Without finding a rhythm from that side of the plate, his swing became long and he felt like he gave away at-bats. Despite the advice from Eddie Murray to not give up switch-hitting, Reggie would not get the reps needed from the right side to succeed so he made the decision. He says “I think if given the chance to play every day, I think I could have hit.”

Boston

In 1995, Reggie’s agents let him know that the Red Sox signaled the most interest. Reggie was thinking, “What are they doing? They have Mo (Vaughn) and Jose (Canseco)”! The Red Sox didn’t seem to have a spot for another first baseman and designated hitter such as Jefferson. When asked if he felt like he just needed an opportunity to play and prove himself, Reggie said “definitely, that’s it. I tell clients, first need an opportunity, then need to take advantage of it.” When the opportunities came, Reggie didn’t miss them.

Manager Kevin Kennedy was happy to greet the newest arrival in camp, Reggie Jefferson. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

In 1996, Jefferson had his finest season. He got to play for the injured Jose Canseco for a while, then after Jose came back the Red Sox left fielder Mike Greenwell went down. Since Reggie had been hitting so well, Manager Kevin Kennedy wanted to find a way to keep his bat in the lineup. Kennedy went to Jefferson and asked him if he’d ever played left before. Reggie lied. He told Kennedy he had, despite never before playing there. It worked out great for both parties, the Red Sox came storming back with a strong second half and Reggie finished with a .347 batting average, the fifth-highest mark in all of baseball. When asked about that season in particular, Reggie said he just felt good all year. He swung the bat great, felt comfortable at the plate and hit the ball hard.

Starting with that season, Jefferson became a fixture in the Red Sox lineup for several seasons against right handers. He’d bat over .300 in three consecutive seasons and batted .316 as a Red Sox. He was a career .345 hitter at Fenway Park with a .928 OPS. He says Fenway “just played into [his] natural strengths. The Monster rewards hitters for going the other way and there’s lots of room in right.” This fit Reggie perfectly as he just hit the ball wherever it came in over the plate, using the entire field.

Friendly Fenway

Another aspect of Fenway Park we discussed is the atmosphere. According to Reggie, the Sox have the greatest fans in the world, not only in the support shown at the park, but in the way we follow the game. Fans in Boston have a knowledge of what’s happening with the team on a day-to-day basis. He found himself cheering hard for the Sox in 2004 when they finally won the World Series. Reggie identifies more with the Red Sox than any other team because of the fans. He says there were always high expectations playing in Boston, but that he performed well. Although a bad back that first cropped up in 1990 slowed him down in 1995 and 1998, he “didn’t leave anything on the table.” He always gave it his all and performed at a high level.

I asked Reggie which game, if any, stood out in his memory. He instantly brought up a game played on Father’s Day in 1996. As he said, the Red Sox had been winning but then gave up the lead. After Mo Vaughn and Jose Canseco picked up their fourth hits of the game to begin the 9th inning, Reggie came to the plate. The Sox were trailing by two, two men on, no one out. Facing Mike Henneman, Reggie hit a line drive to the opposite field up over the Monster and into the screen. A walk-off home run in Fenway Park, and on Father’s Day to boot. Reggie was thinking of his Dad and how he had gotten him started in the game of baseball.

Reggie also brought up playing with greats like Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens and Mo Vaughn. He referenced Pedro’s 17 strike out, one-hit gem at Yankee Stadium. Reggie left the park that night thinking “that’s the best game I’ve ever seen pitched.” He thinks it’s pretty cool nowadays when guys like Tim Kurkjian bring up that game as possibly being the greatest pitching performance ever.

Modern Baseball

We talked some about recent rule changes to the game of baseball and whether they improve the game. He does believe the rules protecting players from injury top the list. No need exists for someone to get injured on a take-out slide at second or a catcher run over at the plate. Eliminating those plays and keeping players on the field are for the best. However, he does not like the rules trying to speed up the game; “Baseball is a slow game, I don’t think going to change that much. It’s going to take 2.5-3.5 hours to play.”

As for all the home runs hit this year, we had a discussion about that. Reggie believes there is something up with the balls. Going to games at Tropicana Field, which has been known as a pitcher’s park in the past, he sees balls flying out this year. He says “some balls are getting way out that back in the day wouldn’t even get out [at all]. I see balls there I’m like, how did that get out?!” I’ve been thinking the same thing, Reggie. Balls are just flying out with too much ease. It’s not normal. He says some of it is bad pitching, guys missing their spots, but the balls must be different.

Reggie thinks plays like this, where he is about to run over Joe Girardi trying to score, are not necessary in the game.

Reynolds Sports Agency

We finished up talking about what he is up to nowadays. Reggie works for Reynolds Sports Agency, representing clients in professional baseball. It’s a more tightly knit group than some other agencies, and despite being all under one umbrella, he says you definitely get to forge relationships.

Reggie is excited for the future; they represent a left-handed reliever in Atlanta, Sam Freeman, enjoying a breakout year. Reggie says he has learned to harness his stuff and is having a terrific season. He brought up Keon Broxton and Mallex Smith as two young players on the verge of becoming household names. Reggie has known both of them since the 11^th grade, illustrating the point about forging relationships. Another young guy he mentioned was Andrew Toles, who has been out almost the whole season with a torn ACL. Reggie says he’s a great hitter and will show that in the future.

The agencies biggest star is Justin Upton, who still has four years and $88.5M left on a six-year contract. However, rumors claim he might choose to opt out of the contract, as is his right after the season. Despite the rumors, Reggie denies talks about it, let alone making a decision. Justin is focusing on trying to get the Angels into the playoffs. If he does opt out, he’s having a huge year at the right time, bashing 35 homers.

Final Thoughts

I asked Reggie if his playing days help him out in his career as a sports agent. Reggie said, “Without a doubt. I know what they’re going through, I can be in their mindset.” He tells them one day they are going to get their shot, and they have got to run with it. He says at times during his own career he felt the need to talk to someone who had been there. Now, he can give that needed counsel to his clients. The job is a lot of work, keeping his plate full and requiring him to travel a lot. Reggie enjoys it though, he gets to help guys out who are just getting started in their professional careers.

Panic At the Citgo

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2016/ 2017 parallel collapse?

In 2016 the Red Sox were one of the best teams in baseball down the stretch. From August 31st- September 25th, they put together an impressive stretch of winning going 19-5. Amidst this stretch was an 11-game win streak in which all the wins came against division rivals. However, the Sox fell off at the absolute worst time possible. They barely stumbled through the finish line, losing five of their last six, and had a hot date in the ALDS vs the Indians who won 10 of their last 15 games. The Sox were promptly swept by the Indians in three ugly games.

Well, here we are again. The Sox put together a terrific end to the season, going 18-9 from August 28th- September 24th. Unfortunately, the Red Sox have seem to lost all momentum in the first two games of the Blue Jays series. Boston has dropped back to back games 6-4 and 9-4. “…So what? they lost two games, what is the big deal?” Typically a short two-game skid is nothing to sweat over, but these two losses have been particularly concerning. Boston has been outscored by last- place Toronto 15-8 despite throwing their best pitching options (Sale and Pomeranz). Sale surrendered five earned runs, eight hits and four home runs in just five innings of work. Pomeranz was no better as he lasted just two innings while giving up five earned runs and seven hits. Certainly not what #RedSoxNation wants to see from their aces heading into the playoffs. It feels as though one can sense the fear lingering in Boston as fans are afraid this may be the beginning of a collapse similar to last year.

Panic Time?

No. It is too early to panic. It would be panic time if we were battling for a wildcard spot and our playoff hopes were in jeopardy. Fortunately, we still hold a three- game lead over the Yankees in the AL East. While it is possible that New York catches us, it is very unlikely. Three games is an enormous amount of ground to cover with just five games remaining on the season. Also, the Sox have responded very well to slumps this year.

Thinking back on the season, two significant slumps come to mind. The first was a stretch lasting from July 5th-July 30th in which Boston lost 14 of 22 games. They bounced back from this rough stretch in a dramatic way, winning 16 of their next 20 games. Then, In late August, Boston lost four straight, one game against Cleveland and a three-game sweep delivered by Baltimore. During this four game skid, the Red Sox were outscored 36-10. This was a tremendously concerning time. Yet again, the team responded positively to the situation, winning 18 of the next 25 games. *This hot stretch actually brought them to the start of the current series vs the Blue Jays* So yes, it has been a very ugly two games for Boston, but lets not overreact. This team has bounced back from slumps multiple times this season, and we can certainly do it again. As I close out this article, Bogaerts just hit a three-run home run to blow the game wide open. Big sigh of relief for Red Sox Nation. Prepare yourself, October. Here come the Sox.

*Follow me on twitter @MLBfromNH (Kevin Civiello)* *Stats up to date as of 9/27/17*P

Red Sox sign Tibetan-born Prospect

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Sox sign another talented catcher

On July 13^th 2017 the Red Sox became the first MLB team to sign a Tibetan-born baseball player when they signed sixteen year-old Qiang Ba Ren Zeng. The versatile youngster’s primary position is catcher, but he is also experienced at both shortstop and pitcher. Zeng currently stands at six feet tall and weighs 185 pounds, certainly a sizeable frame for a young kid. His best attribute seems to be his strong and accurate throwing arm, obviously a vital skill for an aspiring catcher.

Zeng’s transition to the MLB

While there are currently no stats available for Zeng, he began playing for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox in August. He seems to be tremendously talented defensively but there are questions about his offense. Some scouts are skeptical about his abilities at the plate, but ultimately it is too early to jump to conclusions. His large frame is an indication of at least some potential for power.

MLB’s absence of catchers

I love this move by the Red Sox. They may not know everything about this kid, but it is a good gamble. Modern baseball seems to lack both depth and talent at the catcher position, which is arguably the most important position on the diamond. It is very unlike the depth at a position like shortstop, which is absolutely loaded with talent. Among the top 100 players in the game today, about four of them are catchers (Yadier Molina, Gary Sanchez, Buster Posey and Salvador Perez) The game seriously lacks talent at a key position. Due to the scarcity at the position, I think many teams in the league are undervaluing the importance of loading up on young catching prospects.

Surplus of catching options for the Sox

The Red Sox seem to be one of the better organizations at scouting catchers. Currently, we have two of the very best defensive catchers in the MLB in Christian Vazquez and Sandy Leon. Also, the Sox are developing yet another brilliant defensive catcher in Daniel Flores. Flores is currently the fifth-ranked prospect in the organization. Impressively, he has drawn comparisons to Austin Hedges. Scouts say he has Gold Glove potential.

Zeng signing is underrated

Having a plethora of talented catchers has two major benefits. One, they can be used by the team to help them win. Another benefit, they contain high value because of scarcity. All teams are looking for a solid catcher and many are willing to pay a hefty price for one. If the Red Sox are smart they will be able to use one of their many catchers as “trade bait” and receive a substantial reward in return. #RedSoxNation should be excited about this signing, even if it takes a few years to pay off.

Red Sox Postseason Numbers Crunch in Bullpen

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The Red Sox face a roster crunch for the postseason. Many bullpen arms have stepped up down the stretch and pitching well in critical spots. Of course, not a bad problem to have. It does however beg the question, which ones will make the postseason team?

Bullpen Arms

Craig Kimbrel is obviously on the team as the closer. That’s the number-one bullpen spot. Addison Reed will no doubt set him up. Despite a couple hiccups with the Red Sox, Reed has pitched well since coming over. With reports that David Price will pitch out of the pen in the playoffs, that’s three automatic spots occupied. Price is intriguing out there. It’s been a long time since he shut the Red Sox down in the ALCS in his rookie season coming out of the pen. However, he doesn’t have to worry about lasting and can just rear back and throw. He could be an effective left-handed option for them in crucial spots. Price would also be available for multiple innings at times in big spots if innings are needed. As for the other options…

Matt Barnes has been with the team all year, leading with 66 appearances. He can be hit or miss though, and his 3.88 ERA is high compared to the teams other relievers. Is there a chance one of their most used relief pitchers over the last two seasons off the postseason roster? He does strike out a lot of players — 75 batters in 65 innings. He’s not very trustworthy though.

Heath Hembree has pitched for the Sox a lot this season, appearing in 60 contests as of this writing. Hembree has a decent 3.58 ERA, but his 1.46 WHIP is the worst of anyone with more than 20 appearances. He puts a lot of men on base, which would be awfully nerve-wracking in the playoffs. Hembree, like Barnes, strikes out more than a batter per inning.

Joe Kelly has to be on the roster. With his 2.68 ERA and .207 opponent average, I trust Kelly much more than I trust either Barnes or Hembree. His 100 mph heat can be overpowering and elicits a lot of weak contact.

Brandon Workman has been outstanding for the Sox since coming back from injury. He has worked 37.1 innings to a 2.41 ERA. He can work multiple innings if needed, and do so effectively, a key weapon to have in the postseason.

Carson Smith shows us all what we have been waiting for. Somehow fleecing the Mariners in acquiring Smith (and Elias) for Wade Miley, Smith hadn’t pitched in almost two seasons for the Sox until this month. In 2015 he struck out nearly 12 batters per nine innings and had a 2.31 ERA. This kid has an electric arm. Since returning, Smith has struck out five batters over 4.1 shutout innings. I’d want him on the roster.

Austin Maddox has come out of nowhere to throw his hat in the mix. A guy hardly anyone knew anything about not long ago, Maddox is a 26-year-old career minor leaguer. His career ERA in the minors is 4.27. He’s pitched better the further into his professional career he has gone, posting a sub 4.00 ERA each of the past three seasons. This year his ERA was below 3.00 combined between Portland and Pawtucket. Since joining the big club, Maddox has thrown 12.1 shutout innings! Very shocking. He has allowed only 10 base runners and struck out 10 batters.

For left handers, I have to think at least one other than Price will make it. We have two options. Robby Scott pitched great in a few appearances late last season. This year he has been a little up and down, but when you only face a couple batters a game at most, your ERA fluctuate wildly. Batters hit only .186 off of him and he has a 1.03 WHIP. Beyond that, lefties bat an anemic .131 versus Robby. His should only face a lefty in a big spot. Why wouldn’t you want someone that dominant versus them?

The other option is Fernando Abad. John Farrell can’t seem to get past the fact he stunk last year. Abad is 2-0 with a 2.98 ERA this season however, showing why Dombrowski acquired him to begin with. Abad has a much better ERA than Scott, but his peripherals aren’t as good, allowing more hits and putting more men on base. Also, he isn’t as effective at getting lefties out, which is what the Sox will need from their left hander in the pen.

If I were to pick, I would say Kimbrel, Reed, Price, Kelly, Workman, Smith and Scott. Could even choose to keep eight, with four starters instead of five it opens another roster spot. The 4^th rotation spot seems to be up for grabs, but whoever loses out in that battle won’t make the playoff roster as a reliever.

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Red Sox Potential Playoff Scenarios

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As the season winds down playoff contenders are beginning to game-plan for their potential first round opponents. More than likely, the Sox will encounter either Houston or Cleveland in the ALDS. For the majority of the season, the Astros were the heavy favorite to win the AL due to their remarkable offense and above-average pitching staff. However, thanks to a historic run, the Indians have emerged as the clear AL favorite and possibly World Series favorite as well. The Tribe is currently sitting on a a 21-game win streak, an all time American League record. Meanwhile, Houston is just 18-21 since the beginning of August. Safe to say that Red Sox Nation hopes to face Houston in the ALDS.

Houston is a favorable match-up for Boston

The Red Sox have no reason to think twice about playing the Astros in the first round. Houston is actually a sub .500 team since the All-Star break with a record of just 27-28. Sure, Correa, Springer and Keuchel have all spent time on the DL. But a sub .500 performance doesn’t approach playoff-caliber baseball, despite any injuries a team undergoes.

On the other hand, the Red Sox have gone 32-23 since the All-Star break. Keuchel and Verlander hold down the front of Houston’s rotation. An intimidating duo at first glance, but further speculation exposes their true identity. Keuchel has not pitched well lately. He owns an ERA of 5.59 over his last three starts. Verlander boasts an exceptional 2.20 ERA over the last month. But baseball fans know he has become rather inconsistent in recent years. Due to Keuchel’s struggles and Verlander’s inconsistency, Houston’s rotation becomes a serious concern for Astros fans. As a staff, Houston’s pitchers own an ERA of 4.35 over the last month, which does not compare favorably to the Red Sox ERA of 3.87 over the same stretch. Also, the Astros offense has struggled down the stretch. As a team they are batting a modest .244 over the past 28 days. With Houston’s mediocre second-half pitching, hitting and overall play they have fallen as a legitimate world series contender. The Red Sox should be confident in their chances of beating them.

Why Cleveland is road block for the Sox

The Red Sox will likely have to play Cleveland at some point in the playoffs. This could be a potential problem. But, remember that anyone can win come playoff time. As I mentioned earlier, the Indians are in the middle of a record-breaking win streak which currently stands at 21. Tito and company have certainly been playing phenomenal baseball as of late. During the streak they have outscored opponents 139-35 and have trailed in just five innings. Dominant starting pitching has led their success as they claimed 19 of the 21 wins during the streak. In total, the Indians pitchers boast a 1.79 ERA during this incredible stretch.

Their spectacular offense has batted .284 and slugged 50 home runs since the start of the streak. The Red Sox will certainly have their hands full if they encounter the Tribe. Chris Sale’s poor career numbers against Cleveland remain a central concern for the Sox. In his career he is 5-8 with a 4.78 ERA, certainly not Sale-like numbers. Despite Sale’s struggles against the Indians, I personally trust him on the mound in any situation. He has established himself as a true ace and an elite pitcher in the middle of a historic season. At the end of the day Chris Sale is Chris Sale and he should be trusted no matter the opponent.

American League Title is up for grabs

The postseason is going to be here before we know it. It appears that that the Red Sox will have to face Cleveland in order to make it to the World Series. Let us not forget that the city of Boston in underdog scenarios. With a big 11-1 thrashing over Oakland last night, the Red Sox may be heating up just in time. This team has shown flashes of brilliance over the course of the season and I am sensing a joyfully dramatic playoff run for this group. When Boston plays their own brand of aggressive, tenacious and determined baseball, they can beat anyone. Red Sox Nation, I ask you to please remember this; Boston has already beaten Cleveland four times in seven tries this year. They can do it again. Lets go Sox! Win. Dance. Repeat.

*Statistics accurate as of 9/13/17* Follow me on twitter @MLBfromNH (Kevin Civiello)

Red Sox vs. Indians–New Rivalry?

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When you think of Red Sox rivalries throughout the years, the only ones that really come to mind are the Yankees or any other AL East team for that matter. But there is a new team that the Red Sox always seem to go to war with, and that team is the Cleveland Indians.

It kickstarted in 2016, when Cleveland and the Red Sox met in the ALDS. Talk centered on the Sox because of David Ortiz’s final postseason, but not a ton around the Indians. The Indians definitely deserved more buzz, with a better record in the regular season than the Red Sox did.

Well, the Indians certainly did not disappoint, as they shocked the Red Sox along with baseball, sweeping them in three games. A sour ending to Ortiz’s career, and a disappointing one to say the least. Cleveland, as we all know, ended up losing the World Series in seven games to the Cubs.

Postseason Preview?

Enter 2017, where both teams have big expectations, especially considering the Sox added Sale, and the Indians added Encarnacion. So far, the Red Sox have had some crazy games against the Indians in 2017, and crazy is an understatement.

August 1st, Chris Sale scheduled to take the hill for the Red Sox against the Indians, everyone expecting another dominant start. The Indians had a different idea, tattooing him for seven ER in a very disappointing start. The Red Sox battled back, including a disappointing appearance from the Indians big bullpen guy, Andrew Miller. But the big guy gave up a game-tying double off the monster to Eduardo Nunez.

The Crazy

Enter the 8th inning, the Red Sox holding onto a two-run lead. Newly acquired Addison Reed took the hill for the Sox, and gave up a home run to Carlos Santana to make it a one-run game. In the 9th, shut-down closer Craig Kimbrel came in looking to secure the save. First batter for the Tribe, Francisco Lindor, hits a game tying home run over the Monster, shocking the Fenway faithful. Kimbrel continued to struggle, allowing the go-ahead run. The bottom of the 9th came, and the Indians brought in their all-star closer, Cody Allen.

Heroics

Mitch Moreland comes up with a runner on first and two outs. He swings at strike three, but the ball skips away allowing him to run to first. After a wild pitch, runners crouch on 2nd and 3rd for the young catcher Christian Vasquez, who blasts a 3-1 fastball deep into the night, dead center. Fenway went crazy, and for good reason.

This is just one example of the great games these two teams have played this season. The Indians great success against Chris Sale and the Red Sox ability to play great against the Indians makes for an epic postseason matchup, and a potential new rivalry for the Sox.

Rice to Sabathia: “Lose some weight”

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When 23-year-old me received orders to the city of Yuma, I had no idea where that was. Honestly, geography isn’t my strong suit. I assumed it was somewhere in Japan.

“Arizona!” The master sergeant bellowed, sensing my confusion. I sat down, immediately expecting the worst: snakes outside my barracks door, camel spiders in the workplace, and venomous scorpions hiding in my boots.

Next stop — Yuma

Obviously, I was right about everything. And for added nightmare fuel, the aptly named ‘Yuma Scorpions’ were Arizona’s Winter League affiliate, discovered one night at a Buffalo Wild Wing’s by bumping into their hall of fame slugger, Jose Canseco. Between B-dubs and the popular Burgers ‘N Beer hangout, there would at least be a place to watch baseball, eat poorly and drink yourself good-looking. Most Marines can afford to do that, not because of our paychecks, but because of our PT standards.

However, not everyone can go on burger and beer benders. A good example — one C.C. Sabathia. He who just last night took to the media to vent about the Nunez bunt attempt. Surely, it had nothing to do with forcing the hefty lefty to field his position.

Bosox great offers Sabathia an easy Rx

So, when the former Ace openly criticized Boston’s deadline acquisition for laying one down, Boston’s eight-time All Star, and Red Sox icon, 1978 MVP Jim Rice stepped to the proverbial plate.

“What he has a right to do is fulfill his contract, lose some weight, and go out there and pitch.” A visibly frustrated Rice fired back. Heads across Sox Nation silently nodded in acknowledgment in response to the South Carolina native. Is there finally some tension between the clubs?

Of course, the rivalry needs not be reignited between the stubborn, if not arrogant, dueling fan bases. On a club level is where it’s been lacking. With only three head-to-head games remaining and the teams separated by a mere 4 1/2, heading into September needs to have a stress factor. Passion and grit drive the rivalry on, despite the teams not meeting in the playoffs for 13 years. Remember A-Rod’s string of F-you’s to Varitek, resulting in a mitt to face collision, and Don Zimmer tumbling to the ground by the hands of a Pedro Martinez special delivery? That’s what I miss!

Tension on the field

Currently the East, Central and West division leaders’ closely contested records continue to resemble the early seconds of ‘The Price Is Right’s’ popular Plinko game. Four teams within 3 1/2 games of each other, including the Bronx Bombers, are duking it out for the two Wild Card spots. With Boston and New York with a lot to play for over the final 30 games, expect an elevated level of intensity between today and Sunday. As far as the on-field dramatics that span a full century? For now, the Rice-Sabathia jab will just have to suffice.

Red Sox vs. Blue Jays (Series Recap)

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After an extremely disappointing series with the Baltimore Orioles, the Red Sox jumped back on the winning train and swept their division rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays. Combining to score a total of 16 runs in the three game series, the Sox now have a comfortable 5.5 game lead over the second-place New York Yankees.

GAME ONE

Game one ended in a 6-5 victory for the Red Sox on August 28th, and featured vintage Drew Pomeranz doing what he does best: win games. The opposing pitcher, Marcus Stroman was the on the bump. Stroman looked comfortable in this outing. With a 2-1 lead, Eduardo Nunez changed that momentum by hitting a laser-beam home run to left field to tie the game at 2. However, after that home run, Stroman sat down six consecutive Red Sox batters including two strikeouts.

Bats fire up after 7th stretch

The Blue Jays then called for a pitching change in the seventh inning and it all went downhill from there. With a one-run Blue Jays lead, Christian Vazquez hit a two-run homer to left field off of Danny Barnes. Mitch Moreland knocked in Nunez on a weak hit ground back to the middle of second and first off of Aaron Loup, and Ryan Tepera walked Xander Bogaerts for a bases loaded RBI. The Red Sox then took a 6-3 lead.

The Blue Jays scored the remaining two runs off, surprisingly, Craig Kimbrel, from a two- run home run by Justin Smoak on an 0-1 count with two outs. You never see that happen, especially this year!

Strong series

The Red Sox offense looked good in the first game of the series. They combined for a total of 12 hits, four of those coming from Vazquez, who also tacked in two RBIs. Nunez, Benintendi, Moreland and Ramirez combined for eight hits and two RBIs.

Drew Pomeranz pitched well, earning his 14^th victory of the year and ranking him second in the MLB with wins behind Greinke, Kershaw, Sale and Davies. His 3.23 ERA now ranks him 11^th in the MLB.

GAME TWO

Game two was a fun one to watch. Chris Sale put on one of the best pitching performances I’ve ever seen. I could not stop watching the game because I was so mesmerized. Sale dealt his absolute best. He ended his night pitching 7.0 innings, allowed three hits with no runs and struck out 11 Blue Jays. He decreased his ERA to a 2.77, 5^th best in the MLB and 2^nd in the American League behind Corey Kluber of the Indians.

Sales first strike out victim was Steve Peace and it was a beauty. In the second inning he struck out Jose Bautista and Kevin Pillar. He then struck out the side in the third inning, sending Miguel Montero, Ryan Goins, and Steve Peace back to the dugout. He struck out Bautista again in the fourth and again in the seventh. What can Chris Sale not do?

Chris Sale dealing against the Blue Jays

The Sox offense finally did something in the sixth inning, which honestly seemed like an eternity waiting for a run to score. Nunez scored in Rajai Davis on his double to right field and Ramirez capitalized on that by hitting a solo shot to center field in the seventh inning. Benintendi then wanted to join the action and he hit an RBI single to right field to drive in Davis. The Sox went on to win 3-0 and take two games away from the Blue Jays in the three-game series.

After acquiring Rajai Davis on August 23^rd from the Oakland Athletics, he’s been a quiet player. So far he is batting .250 through five games with the Sox and even has two stolen bases. This game accounted for two of the nine hits that game and also had a stolen base. Nunez and Benintendi also had two hits that game as well.

GAME THREE

This is the game we all needed. Rick Porcello facing off against J.A. Happ. Let me start off by saying Porcello redeemed himself after his last outing. That was by far the worst thing I’ve ever seen. Eleven runs in 4.2 innings and just four of those runs were “earned.” He got shelled. But I’m sure I can speak for Red Sox Nation and say we are happy with this last game. He pitched 6.2 innings and only allowed one earned run off six hits. He also managed to pick up his 9^th win of the season, struck out seven and lowered his ERA from a 4.57 to a 4.45.

Happ looked sharp as well. He pitched 6.0 innings and only allowed just one run off of four hits. Happy received a no decision this game. In the month of August, Happ is where he pitches his best. Lifetime he is 21-15 (most wins amongst any months) with a 3.71 ERA (second lowest amongst any months). Against the Sox, he is 5-3, third best record against any of the teams he has faced in his career.

Mitch Moreland came, saw and conquered. Coming in a pinch hitter for Chris Young (DH), he went 2-2 with a home run and four RBI’s to help secure a 7-1 Sox victory. The three other RBI came from Betts, Bogaerts and Ramirez. Nunez, Betts, Bogaerts, and Hanley all had doubles and Bogaerts and Devers recorded stolen bases. The Sox offense crawled all over the Jays pitching.

Rajai Davis and Mookie Betts surround Mitch Moreland after hitting a 7th inning home run

SERIES NOTES

Sox are now 335-275 lifetime against the Toronto Blue Jays
Benintendi went 4-12 with an RBI and double (.333 average)
Nunez went 5-12 with three doubles, a home run and two RBI (.417 average)
Ramirez went 5-12 with two doubles, five runs, two home runs and two RBI (.417 average)
Vazquez batted .625 with five hits, a double, a home run, two RBI
Moreland went 4-7 with a home runs and five RBI[contact-form][contact-field label=”Name” type=”name” required=”true” /][contact-field label=”Email” type=”email” required=”true” /][contact-field label=”Website” type=”url” /][contact-field label=”Message” type=”textarea” /][/contact-form]
(.571 average)
Reed pitched 2.0 innings striking out three and had a 0.00 ERA while facing seven batters
Sale is 2-0 against the Jays this season with a 0.00 ERA and striking out 106 in 77.1 innings
Pomeranz is 3-1 lifetime against the Jays with a 2.63 ERA

Red Sox Even Tribe Series with Unanticipated Dominance by Doug Fister

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“Oh man,” I muttered to myself as I rolled out of bed Tuesday morning. I could not stop thinking about the tragic loss the Sox suffered Monday night on a Brock Holt throwing error. It was a game the Red Sox certainly could have won as they carried a 4-3 lead into the eighth inning. This was the type of loss a crazed Sox fan such as myself loses sleep over. The flow of irrational thoughts began to surge through my brain as I thought “Oh no, last night’s loss was such a momentum killer. How will we rebound from this? How long will this losing streak last? Pretty soon the Yankees will pass us in the AL East. Before you know it, we will be in the basement and out of the playoff picture.” I tried to calm myself with some positive thoughts. Then the cruel realization popped into my head: “Doug Fister is pitching tonight.” Face palm. Depressed sigh.

Fister’s struggles

Doug Fister stepped on the mound with a record of 2-6 and an ERA of 5.56. Not the numbers a fan wants to see when he knows his team needs a bounce-back win. But I remembered Fister pitching later in the day, had a game earlier in the season when he threw 7 2/3 innings while giving up just two runs against Cleveland. Good memory swiftly replaced by bad in his more recent start against them when he lasted just 4 1/3 innings while giving up seven hits and five earned runs. Certainly not an assuring stat line.

As much as I tried to avoid it, 7 pm finally rolled around. I had a brief moment of joy when the Red Sox took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a Hanley Ramirez RBI single. That abruptly ended in the bottom half of the inning as Francisco Lindor took Fister deep on just his third pitch of the game. “Doug Fister are you kidding me?! How can you not hold onto a lead for more than three pitches?!” I shouted as I pulled my own hair out. About to give up on him, then… BANG! Fister silenced his critics — including me — with a nearly perfect nine innings.

Fister looked like the guy who shut down Cleveland on July 31st at Fenway in a dominant 7 2/3 inning effort with a 6-2 win. In fact, he was better than that. Fister successfully did what every good sinker-ball pitcher does. Keep the ball down in the strike zone. All night it seemed like he got ahead of batters 0-2. Doug induced 13 ground-ball outs which is a clear sign he was on his game. As a guy who can’t blow many guys away with his fastball, ranging from 88-92 mph, commanding his fastball down in the zone will always be essential for Doug’s success. On Tuesday night, he did just that. His final pitching line was: nine innings, one hit, one earned run, two walks, six strikeouts and a win. It was truly one of the best outings by any pitcher in the MLB of the 2017 season, Well done Doug, well done.

CLEVELAND, OH – AUGUST 22: Starting pitcher Doug Fister #38 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates with a teammate after allowing only one hit against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on August 22, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Red Sox defeated the Indians 9-1. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Where is David Price?

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Since David Price went on the DL, the $31M dollar pitcher has had very little to say. The Red Sox have played well and still hold first place in the Division. But where is David Price? When will he come back?

The Red Sox need Price back because when he gets into a groove he can be unstoppable. But lately, the only ace I can see on this team is Chris Sale. The guy pitches with the attitude of a winner. Just what the Red Sox needed.

Cheese with that whine?

Price has whined, complained, and hauled off on at Dennis Eckersely. My advice for Price would be do your talking on the mound and pitch well before you open your mouth. Price has been mouthy since he got here and it’s clear he hates Boston when he said he’d rather go home to his mother-in-law.

I want to see David Price win a playoff game before he opens his mouth. It’s almost like the Red Sox keep Price from pitching so his mouth doesn’t become a distraction. With him on the DL they are better, but will they win a playoff series without him? I’m sorry to say that answer is no.

The Red Sox have a big series with Cleveland followed by Baltimore this weekend. Price hasn’t walked onto the mound recently, so you have to wonder — is he hurt or did the Red Sox just make this up? I really hope he pitches well and proves his doubters wrong. The guy needs to live up to his contract, which clearly he has not done. Most likely he will opt out after next season. But I’m looking forward to seeing him come back, and find out if he just pitches and and can shut up.