The Red Sox Have the Best Record in the Majors

The Red Sox currently have an 18-7 record, after sweeping the four-game series against the Astros. They currently have a 5-game winning streak, an off day today, and will start a 3-game series against the Jays tomorrow.

The Yankees are 2.5 games back, and the Orioles 3 games back. The first month of the season is almost over, and the standings seem to be flip-flopped from the way they were projected.

Currently, here are the AL East standings:

1)  Red Sox  18-7
2)  Yankees   15-9   (2.5 GB)
3)  Orioles     15-10 (3 GB)
4)  Rays         12-13 (6 GB)
5)  Jays          9-17   (9.5 GB)

So much good happened with this team this weekend. Middlebrooks was 6 for 15 with 2 doubles, a home run, and 2 RBIs. He raised his batting average to .202; it had stood at .169.

In the 8 games he’s played in this season, Ortiz is hitting .516 (16 for 31) with 5 doubles, 2 home runs, and 11 RBIs.

Doubront had a shaky first inning on Saturday, but he recovered nicely. It took him 31 pitches to get out of the first inning; he gave up a lead off single, hit a batter, walked three, had a wild pitch, and gave up 2 runs. After that, he settled down nicely, and only threw 64 pitches the next 5 2/3 innings and allowed one more run.

David Ross uncorked 2 monster home runs over the Green Monster Friday night. He had a career-high 4 hits that night, and 10 total-bases, also a career-high.

Dempster also notched his first win on Friday night, and not for lack of trying. In five game starts, he’s 1-3 with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.133 WHIP. More importantly, he’s pitched 30.0 innings, struck out 43, and walked 14. He has 12.9 strikeouts per 9 innings average.

Lackey was activated from the disabled list yesterday and made the start. In his second start of the season, he went 6.0 innings (81 pitches), and gave up 5 hits, 1 run, walked 2, and struck out 4. It’s also worth noting that the crowd cheered for him at the start of the game; Lackey was consistently being booed when he pitched two seasons ago.

There were a couple negative things that came out of this weekends’ performances. Victorino sat out all weekend with a tight back, and he may be placed on the disabled list. Daniel Bard, who was called up from Double-A Portland earlier last week, was optioned 18-7 back to Double-A after a shaky performance. In two games, he gave up 1 run on 1 hit with 2 walks and 1 strikeout.

I’m excited about this team; they’re fun to watch. I think getting John Farrell back made a world of difference for the players, especially the pitching staff. So what comes first? Having team chemistry or winning games? For this team, it seems to go hand-in-hand.