LET’S GO RED SOX!

LET’S GO RED SOX!

Finally, there has been some positive consistency amongst our down-and-up team after winning seven of eight games over the past two weeks and five out of six on this week in particular. 

However, one of our most stable signs of consistency over the last decade is now no longer a part of our family. Kevin Youkilis has been traded to the Chicago White Sox for right-handed pitcher Zack Stewart and utilityman Brent Lillibridge. 

“It’s an emotional time for everyone… With the way Middlebrooks has been playing, he needs to be in the lineup. That’s pretty clear’” said Executive Vice President/General Manager of the Red Sox Ben Cherington. He added that “We’ll get Lillibridge here hopefully tomorrow and he’ll join the active roster, and Stewart will go to AAA and join the rotation.” 

Regardless of the questionable talent we got for Youk, there was really no place for him in the lineup – considering Middlebrooks’ play and Adrian Gonzalez’s beefy contract. What can you do, though? We’ll certainly miss the utility infielder in our hearts, but hopefully with this “situation” absent from the dugout, critics will stop trying to bash the team, calling the clubhouse unstable and volatile. 

Cody Ross said it best in his post-game interview on the 24th:  “We’re just playing together… Starting to figure each other out and play as a team.” 

Well said, Cody. Here are this week’s player awards: 

Best Hitter: On fire is third basemen Will Middlebrooks – he’s got 10 hits in his last 14 AB’s, as well as three home runs during that span. He’s looking like a very serious Rookie of the Year candidate. 

Best Pitcher: Franklin Morales has been giving the Sox a chance to win every time he pitches – going five innings and six innings, respectively, against the Cubs and Braves while getting nine and eight strikeouts in each game. He is looking like a strong lefty starter for us. 

Biggest Surprise: Closer Alfredo Aceves has been finally fairly consistent– going two for two in save opportunities this week in four appearances. I wonder where he’ll be in the bullpen when Andrew Bailey comes back…

Biggest Disappointment: Ryan Kalish has almost exemplified the definition of USELESSNESS through his pisspoor hitting stats over the last week. He’s gone 3 for 17 with five strikeouts and 2 walks. Thank the lord Cody Ross has returned to the lineup.

Unsung Hero: This is reserved for Kevin Youkilis, one of the hardest workers for the Red Sox since we broke the curse back in 2004. It’s a real shame that there was no place for him left on the team, and I (and clearly Red Sox nation after the round of applause he got after his Red-Sox-career-ending triple) promise that I will always root for Youk no matter where he plays. Not often do you see a class act like this come around. We’ll miss yoooouuuu, Yoooouuuukkk!

Your browser does not support iframes.

Injuries: A stomach illness has placed Clay Buckholz on the DL after he’s been throwing very well lately, and the surprising Scott Podsednik has a left groin injury that’s got him hobbled a bit. We are just truly a banged-up squad right now, and somehow we’re dealing with it.  

Bum Of The Week: This week’s bum of the week is THE MEDIA – yes, all you scumbags that said this was a down-and-out squad, that the locker room wasn’t stable, that we weren’t even competitors – SCREW OFF! The MLB season is surely a long one. It’s not over ‘till the fat lady sings – and as far as I know, Queen Latifah hasn’t done the national anthem at Fenway Pahk this year.  

Coming Up: Three at home against the Toronto Blue Jays and then we begin a west coast road trip with four games against the lowly Seattle Mariners.