Tuesday, April 24, 2012

About Last Night

The Red Sox defeated the Twins by a score of 6-5 last night in Minnesota.  The win snapped a five-game losing streak.

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Cody Ross powered the Red Sox to the victory with two home runs, including a 2-run upper deck blast in the 7th inning that tied the game and a solo homer in the 9th inning that proved to be the game winner.  Ross leads the team with 5 home runs and 13 RBI.

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Daniel Bard got two outs in the 8th inning as he reverted back to his old set-up job for a night after rain washed away his scheduled start on Sunday night against the Yankees.

Bard is the team's best option to close games right now but he could have an excellent future as a starter.  By keeping him in the rotation - and as of last night he was scheduled to start on Friday night in Chicago against the White Sox - the Red Sox are basically telling their fans that they don't expect to seriously contend in 2012 and are instead playing for the future.

If that is the case, general manager Ben Cherington should be starting the process of moving veterans Josh Beckett, Kevin Youkilis, and Kelly Shoppach to bring back prospects and create playing time for some of the organization's current prospects.  Willie Middlebrooks is in line to replace Youkilis at third base and Ryan Lavarnway is the team's catcher of the future.

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Bobby Valentine's line to closer Alfredo Aceves in the 9th inning - “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?’’ - was surely said in jest but the way things are going for Bobby V, it doesn't hurt to at least ask.

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