Trades

The Red Sox made two trades yesterday. They sent Matt Albers and Scott Podsednik to the Diamondbacks for Craig Breslow. They also sent Lars Anderson to the Indians for Steven Wright.

Craig Breslow is a left-handed reliever who has had a good season thus far. He has a 2.70 ERA with 8.7 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 rates. He’s also pitched 43 1/3 innings thus far this season. Plus, he also won’t be a free agent until after next season. The thought is that by acquiring Breslow, the Red Sox are now able to move Franklin Morales back into the rotation.

Breslow has already had a stint with the Red Sox, back in 2006. He pitched 12.0 innings then, with a 3.75 ERA, a 9.0 K/9 rate, and a 4.5 BB/9 rate. He didn’t give up a home run while with the Sox then, but he has given up 5 this season.

Steven Wright is a 27-year-old knuckleballer who has been in Double-A this season. He has a 2.49 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9. He’s also pitched 115 2/3 innings this season. The addition of Wright gives the Red Sox more starting pitching depth. Plus, since Wakefield has retired, the Sox need a knuckleballer that will be with them for the next 20 years.

Trade Deadline Today

The trade deadline is today. It could either feel like Christmas (landing someone of value to put an optimistic spin on the season), purgatory (nothing of significance happens), or hell (the team becomes “sellers). I’m hoping from anywhere between purgatory and Christmas. Do I see a huge deal happening for the Red Sox? No.

MLBNetwork is having live coverage for most of the day. Unfortunately, I will be at work during this time. I will be relying on Twitter, MLB Trade Rumors, and probably my brother for information. I think I’ve mentioned this before, but my brother would love to be a GM, especially for the Sox. Today is his favorite day of the season because he loves watching the transactions take place.

MLBNetwork has already had some fun with the trade deadline today. Look at the tweets that have already transpired:

Kevin Millar @KMillar15
Breaking news @MLBNetwork has just traded the back hair of @TheMayorsOffice in exchange for the hamburger meat chest hair of @ChrisRose

Billd1530 @Billd1530
@KMillar15 @MLBNetwork @TheMayorsOffice @ChrisRose Just in… Millar’s frosted hair for Trump’s rug and caterpillar eyebrows, and a PTBNL.

Kevin Millar @KMillar15
Well played @Billd1530

Chris Rose @ChrisRose
@KMillar15 @MLBNetwork @TheMayorsOffice hey, I just woke up, where did my chest hair go? And why is my back so itchy?

So what could the Red Sox possibly end up doing today? I think we’ll probably see some shuffling of the bullpen, for one. That seems to happen with every team at the trade deadline. Relievers need to be moved around so opposing players aren’t too comfortable with them.

There has been a little chatter about the Indians looking to trade Justin Masterson, and the Red Sox are supposedly interested. Masterson’s had a down year: 7-9, 4.47 ERA, 1.381 WHIP. But, the Sox are supposedly interested in a 3-4 starter. Wouldn’t Masterson fit that category? Heck, he’d be close to the “Ace” of the team with his ERA!

In all seriousness, I do hope that the Sox can pull off a trade for Masterson. Not only has he become a workhorse since he was traded to the Indians (remember, he was the key piece in the Victor Martinez trade), but he won’t be a free agent until 2015. Plus, he’s relatively cheap, only having a $3.83 million contract this year, his first arbitration eligible year.

There’s been quite a bit of talk about Beckett being traded. Cherington has said that Beckett will not be traded, and I believe him. Billy Ripkin on MLBNetwork last night was saying he doesn’t believe Beckett will be making his start tonight for the Red Sox, that he will be traded. Not buying it. I’ve said it before, Beckett has 10-5 rights and would have to approve any trade; he won’t unless it’s to the Rangers, most likely.

Kelly Shoppach’s been the other player who keeps coming up in trade talks. It makes sense, trade away Shoppach to make room for Lavarnway. However, it appeared that the Mets and Rangers were the two teams most interested. The Mets have seemed to drop out.

It should be an exciting day; and hopefully, the BoSox can pull something great off.

Interesting Turn of Events

I’m not sure who all watched the ending to the Red Sox-Yankees game last night. I, myself, wasn’t planning on watching it after Albers gave up the run in the 7th (credited to Doubront). I really wasn’t planning on watching the game after Miller gave up the tying run. I’ve seen how these sorts of events have gone in the past, and I wasn’t ready to watch the train wreck unfold in front of me.

However, I continued to watch. Aceves pitched a perfect bottom of the 9th, and the game headed into the 10th inning. Salty walked. Middlebrooks squared for a bunt (why he was bunting, I do not know), and was hit on the wrist/forearm area. He crumpled to the ground in pain, and the umpire turned away in pain as well since the ball had hit him in the shin.

During all the commotion, my brother, his girlfriend, and I watched replays to make sure that Middlebrooks was hit on the wrist/forearm area and not the hand, as the hand is part of the bat. It appeared the ball hit the wrist/forearm area, but the homeplate umpire called that the ball hit the bat. How the homeplate umpire could see that when he turned AWAY from the plate when the ball hit him, I do not know.

So, a hit by pitch became a strike in a matter of seconds. Tempers flared, and Valentine was ejected. Truthfully, I think Valentine needed to get ejected from a Yankees-Red Sox game. He’s been going about this season all-too-calm for my liking. Why hasn’t he gotten so upset, especially when his team has straddled mediocrity all season?

After Valentine was ejected, the Red Sox bench erupted. It was very odd to see Adrian Gonazlez, Mr. Cool-and-Collected, going off on the umpires from the dugout. Cody Ross, who’s also seen as a positive influence on this team, was also yelling. Beckett was jawing at the third-base umpire as well, and he was eventually ejected.

Could the Sox response to the call be contributed with Pedroia calling out his teammates for their playing? Pedroia is the heart and soul of the Red Sox, no doubt about it. He’s the leader, even if he doesn’t want to be. He’s the guy the media goes to, even when he’s had a bad game. He’s the player the little kids want to grow up to be like, even if he has a vocabulary like a sailor. Pedroia is the fire, and he might have passed on part of the torch to the rest of the team (nice Olympic referenced, huh?).

The Red Sox eventually won when Middlebrooks hit a single, moving Salty to second. Sweeney hit into a fielder’s choice, moving Salty to third, and Pedro Ciriaco hit an RBI single. Sox win 3-2.

I see this game, and the series at that, as a turning point for the Sox. They are now at .500 again, still 9.5 games back in the Division and 4.0 games back in the Wild Card. However, there is still 2 months left of games. The Yankees are flailing, having lost 7 of the last 10.

In 2004, the turning point of the season seemed to coincide with the Varitek-ARod incident. The Sox reaching .500 against the Yankees in 2012 might be what the team needs at this time. They are still considered “sellers” with the trade deadline approaching tomorrow. Maybe the Sox needed to prove to themselves (and upper management) that they are winners.

Twitter-Mania Friday!!!

Here are this week's tweets:

7/20

Nick Punto @Shredderpunto
Nash wants to be covered in Gatorade like @IamCodyRoss but had to settle for bubbles #wishhehadashirttoshredd pic.twitter.com/qjUtdtji

Adrian Gonzalez @adriangon28
Cody to the moon!!!

Mike Aviles @Themikeaviles
Can’t even enjoy a movie now a days!!! What is wrong with people!!! Thoughts and prayers to those families involved in the Colorado shooting

7/21

Daniel Nava @dnavs33
“he once ran a marathon because it was on his way”….love “The Most Interesting Man in the World” commercials!! #hilarious

7/22

Will Middlebrooks @middlebrooks
Bedtime! ZZZZ excited to see all my friends and family the next few days!

7/23

David Ortiz @davidortiz
Therapy day getting close to where I want to be feeling better… I can’t wait to be back… 34 pic.twitter.com/Xi1OfVZ3

7/24

David Ortiz @davidortiz
@MacDime54 Hang in there homie nothing is free anymore

7/25

David Ortiz @davidortiz
New york here I go to meet up with my boy for the weekend series vs the Yankees…..34

7/26
Will Middlebrooks @middlebrooks
@Themikeaviles and I made a stop at Mr. Softee’s!!! lockerz.com/s/228494824 lockerz.com/s/228494864

7/27

Chad Finn @GlobeChadFinn
Kind of glad to be away from the Red Sox right now. Can’t smell the stench of the season over here.

And the best tweets of the week:

7/26

Adrian Gonzalez @adriangon28
At @MLBFanCave today to play #MLB12TheShow against the dwellers. Winner get control of the loser’s twitter account!

Adrian Gonzalez @adriangon28
I just beat A-Gon in The Show #HRDerby. Now he’s gonna plan with me (@iBlogBetter) #PlanBros #FanCaveHacked @MLBFC pic.twitter.com/qRZIawx

Adrian Gonzalez @adriangon28
So @KyleOKC beat me in #HRDerby, & then made me shred! Fun in the @MLBFanCave! RT & follow! #FanCaveHacked #MLBFC pic.twitter.com/In1xJoXj

Adrian Gonzalez @adriangon28
@adriangon28 Um, @smashleychavez just stole my phone… !! #FanCaveHacked pic.twitter.com/1bMLX00J

A Change Would Do Them Good

Quick post today as I’m frustrated with the team at the moment. Here’s the line-up from last night with their batting averages:

Ellsbury- CF- .282
Ciriaco- DH- .333
Pedroia- 2B- .267
Gonzalez- 1B- .291
Ross- RF- .261
Middlebrooks- 3B- .297
Crawford- LF- .219
Nava- LF- .250
Shoppach- C- .270
Aviles- SS- .257

Aside from Ciriaco, Gonzalez, and Middlebrooks, no one else really strikes fear into opposing pitchers from this line-up. Gonzalez, who has been hot lately, went 0-for-3 last night. Ciriaco and Middlebrooks are rookies. Everyone else needs to step it up.

I don’t want to make excuses for Beckett’s loss either, but the man really doesn’t get the run support. Yes, they played the Rangers this past game. Here’s a look at Beckett’s last 7 starts this season:

June 6th- Baltimore- L,1-2: 8.0 IP, 5 H, 2R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO, 0 HR
June 11th- Miami- L, 1-4: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO, 0 HR
June 30th- Seattle- L, 2-3: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO, 0 HR
July 6th- NYY- L, 8-10: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO, 0 HR
July 15th- TBR- W, 7-3: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR
July 20th- Toronto- L, 1-6: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR
July 26th- Texas- L, 3-5: 7.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO, 0 HR

With the potential that the Sox have (on paper at least), the games when Beckett gives up 4 or less runs should be wins for the Sox. In 6 of the last 7 games, Beckett has given up 4 or less runs, and he’s only won 1 of those games. Even if you took out the games when he gave up 4 runs, there are 3 games when he gave up 3 or less runs and only won 1 of those games. Plus, I don’t want to jinx him, but Beckett hasn’t given up a home run since May 10th.

The Sox need a shake-up, but I don’t know if it’s coming.

Less Than a Week Left Until the Trade Deadline

First, I apologize for taking almost a week off from the blog. It was a packed vacation away, and I had a great time. Even if I had decided to take my laptop with me, I don’t think I would’ve had time to write anything. So, for those who follow daily, please accept my apologies.

Second, I am refusing to write about the catastrophe the weekend series against the Jays was. I had very limited cell phone service where I was staying, but the few times I did check the scores to the games, I was a bit embarrassed to be a Sox fan. When the Sox fell below .500 after Monday’s nights’ game, I think the realization for the rest of the season became clear.

A few of my friends and family members who are Red Sox fans are still holding out hope that the Sox can get it going again. They are currently 4.0 games out of a wild card spot, which seems doable with more than two months left. However, there are 7 teams in front of them for the spot, and only three teams in the AL have a worse record (Seattle, Kansas City, and Minnesota). The Sox are currently tied with the Blue Jays.

Yes, a lot can happen in two months. The Sox could go on an amazing winning streak. Our pitchers can remember how to pitch consistently well. Ortiz can heal quickly and hit .350 for the rest of the year. Ellsbury and Crawford could both start hitting around .300 with a combined 50 bases. I think I’ve already posted all this as wishful thinking.

The truth is, the Sox need to make adjustments to this team. Having players come off the DL isn’t enough anymore. There needs to be some changes, and I don’t know if the Sox are willing to make the changes at this point.

The Sox were said to be in on Dempster, Garza, and Hanley Ramirez at one time or another. Ramirez was just traded to the Dodgers. A deal to send Dempster to the Braves is reportedly in place, though he would have to agree to it. Every team seems to be in on Garza. It was reported that the Sox had a scout to watch Greinke last night, but a pitcher with anxiety issues isn’t what the Sox need right now.

The Sox did end up trading Brent Lillibridge to the Indians for right-hander Jose De La Torre. This return may be decent considering De La Torre is 26 and had a 2.91 ERA with 9.4 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 55 2/3 innings for Cleveland's Double-A and Triple-A affiliates this year. There’s at least potential there.

Supposedly, the Sox are scouting Josh Johnson as well, though I haven’t heard a lot of serious talk regarding the Red Sox and Johnson. It seems like the Rangers and the Angels have the most interest.

Personally, I don’t know if the Red Sox have the pieces to make a huge trade that would send them to the play-offs this year. Their talented young players like Middlebrooks and Lavarnway seemed destined to become permanent fixtures at Fenway. Ciriaco and Nava seem to the be two players most likely to go, but I think they’ve both lost stock in the past week.

With less than a week left before the trade deadline, there will be more rumors flying around about who the Red Sox are willing to deal and attain. How many of these rumors will prove to be true is the real question.

Twitter-Mania Friday!!! (on Thursday)

Here are this week's tweets of the week:

7/13

David Ortiz @davidortiz
Back to work let have a monster finish so we can go to the playoff god bless every one….34

Mike Aviles @Themikeaviles
Back to work!!! 2nd half starts today #getonthatgrind

Jacoby Ellsbury @JacobyEllsbury
Excited to be back in the lineup against the Rays tonight!

7/14

Kevin Millar @KMillar15
I get a kick out of watching people walk in airports. Fast, slow, nevous, cool, and some people got dressed in the dark #badoutfits #gotheeeem

7/15

Will Middlebrooks @middlebrooks
Eat a waffle RT @richie_kipp: @middlebrooks what am I supposed to do AFTER I wake?

Kelly Shoppach @ShopHouse10
I want to say thank you to all my old rays fans who still root for me even though I play for the #redsox. Y’all are good people.

Pete Abraham @PeteAbe
As I listen to heavy rain fall on the roof at Tropicana Field, I hope my umbrella enjoyed the afternoon back at the hotel.

7/16

Will Middlebrooks @middlebrooks
Woke up feeling really good… iced coffee… music… yep..

Colin Hanks @ColinHanks
Packed for Boston last night & discovered I seemed to have lost a red sox hat I’d had. I’ll just ask @IamCodyRoss if I can borrow his (for those who don’t know, Colin Hanks has been one of my favorite actors for about twelve years)

Nick Punto @Shredderpunto
Let’s keep our fingers crossed @Themikeaviles @IamCodyRoss @adriangon28 @RyanSweeney12 @bflo88 that our big papi will feel better soon!!!

7/18

Chad Finn @GlobeChadFinn
Can’t believe the Marlins’ interest in Carl Crawford is anything more than a chance to add some intrigue to “The Franchise.”

Mike Aviles @Themikeaviles
Took the kids to the aquarium earlier today and daddy and the girls had a blast!! #lovemydolls

David Ortiz @davidortiz
2 week of watching baseball during the season; that’s suck but only god know….. I’ll be back34

Jacoby Ellsbury @JacobyEllsbury
Nice win boys!

7/19

Kevin Millar @KMillar15
Can’t make this up once again but on way to golf course this morning and a freaking big bear just chilling in the yard! Pic.twitter.com/JN023VaX

And the best tweet this week:

7/17

Nick Cafardo @nickcafardo
Darnell McDonald had to cut his dreads for what, a little over a week? He was DfA’d by the Yanks.