Adam LaRoche is set to make his Boston debut tonight when the Slumping Sox return to Fenway Park for the first time since the All-Star break.
A dismal 1-5 trip through Toronto and Texas has turned a three-game lead over the Yankees at the break into a 2.5-game deficit. The offense has been the culprit in this mini-slide, scoring just 13 runs in the six games.
Adding life to the lineup is why Theo Epstein traded for LaRoche. However, to make room for him on the active roster, Epstein will have to create an opening.
There are two options to make room for LaRoche. Either the Sox disable or designate Mark Kotsay for assignment or they can cut their pitching staff from 12 to 11.
Kotsay being moved to the disabled list makes the most sense. He is currently fighting a calf injury that could use some rest. He also had back surgery this past offseason. A few weeks away from the field would make Kotsay refreshed and completely healthy just in time for the playoffs.
Designating him for assignment or an outright release is a path that I do not think Epstein will follow. Kotsay has too much value as a lefthanded-hitter off the bench who can play firstbase and all three outfield positions.
The other direction for the Red Sox in this situation is to trim their pitching staff by one arm. The problem with this is that there are not too many possibilities. Unless Brad Penny (still a possibility) or Clay Buchholz (highly unlikely) are traded, the starting rotation will remain intact. We know that Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, Ramon Ramirez, and Manny Delcarmen are probably going nowhere.
Daniel Bard and Justin Masterson have options remaining but they are too highly valued to be shipped to Pawtucket for five weeks until rosters expand on September 1.
The only option on the pitching staff is Takashi Saito. Saito has not made himself indispensable (3.41 ERA, 1.39 WHIP in 31.2 innings) and with many teams begging for bullpen help, Epstein could land a decent prospect or two if he decides to make a trade.
If the Red Sox decide to cut their pitching staff, they could survive a month with six relievers until the rosters expand. In the playoffs, when only three or four starters are needed, they could move Tim Wakefield, John Smoltz, Penny, or Buchholz into the bullpen.
Expect a decision on either Kotsay or Saito to be announced early this afternoon...
Chris Sweet, the boy's lacrosse coach at Duxbury High School, has been the most successful coach in Massachusetts over the past decade. His teams have won seven Division 1 state championships, including the last six consecutively, and at one point sported a 99-game winning streak against fellow Massachusetts teams. He has won over 200 games at the helm in Duxbury.
Sweet's unmatched success seemingly matters little to the decision makers in Duxbury.
He was recently informed his contract for 2009-2010 will not be renewed. Apparently, Sweet ruffled some feathers amongst the parents when he cut some upperclassmen from the team this past spring in favor of more talented younger players.
This case is an example of how parents continue to ruin athletics by wielding too much power when it comes to roster decisions and coaches' futures. You would think that Sweet would be trusted to make simple roster decisions after the great record he has built up in his eleven-seasons with the Dragons. Sadly, he was not.
I'm sure he will land on his feet at a school that will welcome him with open arms...
Mark Buerhle's perfect game yesterday against the Rays pushes him towards the direction of the Hall of Fame. If you think I'm crazy, let's look at some relevant statistics for the 30-year-old lefty:
- Buehrle already has 133 career wins. If he maintains his health and continues to average the 15 wins per season he did from 2001-2008 (he already has 11 in 2009), then he will be closing in on 300 career wins by the age of 40. In this era of starters going six-innings before turning things over to the bullpen, anyone who even threatens to win 300 games will find his way into Cooperstown.
- Buehrle was the best pitcher for the White Sox when they won the World Series in 2005. Pitching your team to a championship helps make a case for enshrinement.
- Buehrle is already a four-time All-Star (2002, 2005, 2006, 2009). A few more appearances will only bolster his resume for the Hall.
- In addition to yesterday's perfect game, which was just the 18th since 1900, Buehrle tossed a no-hitter in 2007 against the Rangers.
Buehrle does have a long way to go before he can write his acceptance speech. Winning a Cy Young or two would make a huge difference in his favor. Also, the assumption of staying healthy into one's 40s is risky at best.
Hall of Fame or not, Buehrle has already had a very successful career that has gone under the radar for the most part...
I would be committing a crime if I failed to mention the outstanding catch made by ChiSox centerfielder Dewayne Wise for the first out in the ninth inning of Buehrle's masterpiece.
Wise, inserted as a defensive replacement in the ninth, stole a homerun away from Gabe Kapler with a leaping catch against the left-center wall.
I think Buehrle will follow the advice of No. 44 and treat Wise to a steak...
It looks like NFL commissioner Roger Goodell failed to follow the advice of TheBostonInsider.
Reports are circulating that Goodell will grant Michael Vick a conditional reinstatement to the NFL, allowing Vick to sign a contract and attend training camp. The official announcement, expected next week, could include a four-game suspension for Vick to start the 2009 season.
Vick's reinstatement raises the question of where he will play in 2009. With training camp less than a week away, the quarterback situation for most teams have been settled.
The Vikings, who are waiting to hear if the "retired" Brett Favre will play for them in 2009 could be an interesting option for Vick...
Make sure to listen to the Mark Linehan-Bernie Corbett show on ESPN 890 AM tomorrow from 2 - 3:30.
One of their guests will be former UConn football player Rob Lunn, who is the author of the wildly popular "Thoughts From a Fat White Guy" blog...
Enjoy the Red Sox offense tonight...
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