Sports of Boston

Lester Continues Dominance Against Kansas City

Ty Scheiner — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:35:06 +0000

Jon Lester and the Red Sox were on the better end of a true pitcher’s duel last night earning the 1-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals at home.

Lester pitched a gem giving up only four hits and striking out eight batters in eight innings. He improved his record to 3-1 against Kansas City, his only loss coming at Kansas City.

The Sox should have seen an earlier lead in the fifth, when Ellsbury was called out and ejected on a controversial call that seemed to show that Jacoby was safe. Ironically, Rocco Baldelli replaced Ellsbury and made a fantastic defensive play in the seventh, which resulted in a double play that saved a possible run.

Finally, in the eighth inning, Bates ended up pitch running for Kotsay who singled to center. Which led to Bates moving to second on a sacrifice from Nick Green and then to third on a wild pitch. Pedroia then doubled to deep left to score the only run in the game.

After eight strong innings from Lester, Papelbon came in and did his work as he retired the side in the ninth, clinching a 1-0 victory.

Sox Stud of the Game: Jon Lester

Lester continued his success against the Royals. He has not allowed any ER in his last 17 innings pitched against the Royals and has a 1.20 ERA against Kansas City.

Sox Dud of the Game: The Offense

Although Bannister pitched a terrific game, the Sox were only able to get three hits, struck out seven times and left five runners in scoring position.

That’s What He Said

“I really didn’t think about it,” said Baldelli. “As soon as I caught it, I just threw it in as fast as I could.”
- Rocco Baldelli, on the his catch and throw to double up Mark Teahen at second.

Game Notes

W: J. Lester (8-6)

L: B. Bannister (6-7)

SV. J. Papelbon (23)

Red Sox Centerfielder, Jacoby Ellsbury, was ejected in the bottom of the fifth inning. It was his first ejection.

Leon Powe: 2008-2009 Celtics Review

Geoff — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:30:39 +0000

We recently just pretty much said our goodbyes to Leon Powe after the Celtics opted not give him a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. It’s not definite yet if he will be back next season or not, but based on the way the Celtics management is talking, it does not seem likely. However, let’s look back at Powe’s 2008-09 season with the C’s.

Powe was a solid player off the bench for most of the season until he had knee problems late in the season. The injuries limited Leon to appear in just 70 games this year. He was called upon to start some of those games when Kevin Garnett initially went down with injury, before Glen “Big Baby” Davis became the new young star of the team.

During the regular season Powe averaged 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while appearing in 17.5 minutes per game. Most of Powe’s stats were up from the previous year, except for his scoring average, which dropped by two tenths of a point.

Powe barely played in the playoffs. He “recovered” from his knee problems just in time for the playoffs, but only managed to appear in two games against the Bulls. In those two games, Leon saw 24 minutes of time and had 10 points and 9 rebounds, before a torn ACL and meniscus ended his season. I belive that with Powe in the line-up, the Celtics probably would have been able to eliminate the Magic in the second round.

Powe is still rehabbing after having successful surgery this off-season, but it is yet to be seen where he will play next year.

Brady is Back, Wide Receivers Rejoice!

George — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 11:00:30 +0000

With Tom Brady’s return to the Patriots, there are high expectations coming from Foxboro, Mass. The last time Brady saw the field for a full season, he put together arguably the greatest statistical season by any quarterback to play the game.
Now before we go any further, let’s look at what the Patriots accomplished in 2007:

Most points in a season – 589
Most touchdowns in a season – 75
Individual passing touchdowns in a season – Tom Brady threw 50
Individual receiving touchdowns in a season – Randy Moss caught 23

Pretty impressive resume if you ask me. So is it possible for the 2009 team to surpass these records? Yes it is.

Obviously it is not going to be easy for this team to break four records in a season, but considering the team has more talent this year and a fully healthy Tom Brady, it is not out of the question that they can dominate the way they did in 2007. Consider these factors:

Tom Brady and the Patriots are hungry (are they ever not hungry?) after a missed opportunity last year as they failed to qualify for the playoffs despite an 11-5 record.
Joey Galloway, a No. 1 wide out in Tampa Bay two seasons ago, will replace Jabar Gaffney as the team’s third wide receiver.
Fred Taylor joins an already talented backfield, giving the Patriots four good options to turn to for carries, which bodes well for their health and for the balance of the offense.
Ben Watson now has legit company at the tight end position with new arrivals in Chris Baker and Alex Smith.
Did I mention Tom Brady is back and motivated more than ever?

How soon people forget that this offense was putting up 35+ points on a weekly basis before Brady went down with a knee injury and probably would have done the same last year had he stayed on the field. Yes, Randy Moss is a year older and yes, Joey Galloway is like 40 years old (OK he’s only 37), but the Patriots still have a lot to prove in 2009 and they will have the drive and motivation to get back to the Super Bowl and take care of business as usual. As a matter of fact, I do believe that they still have that perfect season to accomplish. Let’s take a look at how some of the Patriots’ starters fare to do this year in fantasy football. (The targets are based on 10-team leagues that start 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 D/ST, 1 K)

Quarterback

Tom Brady (2007 – 4,806 passing yards/50 TD/8 INT/117.2 RAT)

What needs to be said here? Tom Brady is the best quarterback in football – both fantasy and reality. Since taking over for Drew Bledsoe in 2001, Brady has never thrown more than 14 interceptions in a season, and has a career completion percentage of 63 percent. In 2007, the Pats gave him a legit No. 1 wide receiver and he responded with records galore. The man has a good head on his shoulders and can really make everyone else on the team exceed expectations. Oh, and he’s healthy because you know Belichick would not have traded Cassell away if there were any doubts. Target him in the first round in all draft formats.

Running Backs

Fred Taylor (2008 – 143 carries/556 yards/3.9 avg/1 TD)

First you have newly acquired running back Fred Taylor, who is coming off one of his worst seasons ever. He is the favorite to get the bulk of the carries on first and second downs, but at 33 he will not be expected to get more than 200 carries this season. Target him in rounds 8-10

Sammy Morris (2008 – 156 carries/727 yards/4.7 avg/7 TD)

Next you have Sammy Morris. He led the team in fantasy points last year thanks to his seven touchdowns and he is the favorite again to receive most of the red zone and goal line carries, but you would have to think Taylor will eat into those a little. Target him in rounds 10-12

Kevin Faulk

The third back in the mix, Faulk’s role will remain the same as always, which is third-down back and receiver out of the backfield. Not draft worthy in standard leagues. He only has value in PPR leagues.

Laurence Maroney

Last but not least, (well maybe least) we have Maroney. Maroney complicates things a lot more just on his own. Maroney is the true dark horse on this team because he has shown flashes of brilliance, but has been struck down by injuries throughout his three-year career. He has the talent to be the team’s No. 1 running back, but he will have to prove it on the field before he gets any bulk of the carries. He is a sleeper candidate, but in a crowded backfield he might be a year away from being on the verge of a breakout season. Not draft worthy, but keep an eye on him in the first couple weeks to see how the Patriots plan on using him this season.

Wide Receivers

Randy Moss (2008 – 125 targets/69 rec/1008 yards/11 TD)

In 2007, Randy Moss put up insane numbers with Tom Brady throwing those ever-so-perfect deep balls to him. He ended the season with 98 receptions for 1493 yards and record-breaking 23 touchdowns. With Matt Cassell , Moss put up some very good numbers as well, after a rough start to the season, with 69 receptions for 1008 yards and 11 touchdowns. The scary thing is, with Brady back in the huddle, Moss can only get better in fantasy because Moss received 24-less targets with Cassell leading the way in 2008. Look for him to return to top-three status. Target him in the first round in all draft formats

Wes Welker (2008 – 150 targets/111 rec/1165 yards/3 TD)

On the other side of the field we have Wes Welker, who has been a top 20 wide receiver since joining the Patriots in 2007. In his two seasons, Welker has caught 112 and 111 passes respectively. The big difference? In 2007, Welker scored on eight of those receptions compared to just three in 2008. Look for Brady to connect with Welker on more touchdowns this year and boost his value even more. Target him in rounds 5-7 in standard leagues, but in PPR leagues his value jumps rounds 3-5.

Joey Galloway (2008 – 37 targets/13 rec/138 yards/0 TD)

Not too long ago Galloway was considered a No. 1 receiver on fantasy teams. He is just two seasons removed from catching 57 passes for 1014 yards and six touchdowns. He was banged up for most of last season, but offseason rest has let his fractured foot heal and the 37-year old is ready for action in 2009. His speed is his best asset and with him and Moss on the field at the same time (I’m getting giddy!) there should be some one-on-one matchups that Brady can exploit down the field. Target him in the later rounds of your drafts

Greg Lewis

Lewis will battle with Galloway for the third receiver spot, but barring any unforeseen injury to Galloway, Lewis will be the Patriots fourth wide receiver, which will give him very little fantasy value. I can see him posting one or two 100-yard games during the season, but unless you are Nostradamus himself (in which case, why do you need my help anyways?) I would avoid trying to predict when those games actually occur. Not draft worthy, but if Galloway is hurt during the season, Lewis is worth taking a flier on.

Tight End

Ben Watson, Chris Baker and Alex Smith…does it even matter?

So the Patriots brought in Chris Baker and Alex Smith, which gives current starter Ben Watson the message that his days may be numbered in New England. Chris Baker was brought in for his blocking skills, but Alex Smith could be the one who ultimately takes away the valuable snaps as primary receiving tight end. Watson has been rather inconsistent throughout his career despite his freakish size/speed combo. I don’t see any of these players becoming the No. 1 target for Tom Brady so their fantasy value is rather compromised. None of them are draft worthy.

Kicker

Steven Gostkowski (2008 – 36/40 Field Goals, 40 XPM)

When it comes to fantasy football, you want a kicker on a high scoring offense. Stephen Gostkowski is on the most powerful offense in the NFL and he is very accurate kicking the ball, which is shown by his 85.6 career percentage. Look for him to get you three to four extra points per game with the occasional field goal. Target him in the last round of your draft because that is the only time you should take a kicker.

Hill Chooses Suns Over Celtics

Nathan — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:17:45 +0000

The Globe is reporting that Grant Hill has decided to stick with the Phoenix Suns. The Celtics, along with the Knicks, were also heavily pursuing the veteran forward. The deal is reported to be a two year contract worth about $3 million a year, with the second year being a player option for Hill. The Celtics could only offer Hill the LLE worth about $1.9 million a year.

In the end, it doesn’t appear Hill’s decision was based on money, but rather the fact that longtime teammate and friend, Steve Nash, is close to signing an extension with the Suns.

This decision puts the Celtics back at the drawing board when it comes to finding a veteran wing player to spell Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. The most notable remaining options are (in no particular order): Marquis Daniels, Matt Barnes, Ime Udoku, Jerry Stackhouse, Bruce Bowen, Rashad McCants, and Linus Keiza.

Youngster wing players, Bill Walker and JR Giddens, are widely considered to be too underdeveloped to play meaningful minutes on a championship contending squad.

2009 UMass Football Preview: Offense

Ty Scheiner — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:00:27 +0000

Although the Minutemen finished above .500, the 2008 season can be looked at as a disappointment, finishing at 7-5. UMass hopes to start the 2009 campaign with a clean slate, which involves a new starting quarterback and a new head coach. UMass promoted offensive coordinator, Kevin Morris, to Head Coach once Don Brown left for the defensive coordinator position at Maryland. A team usually known for its defense should continue to improve with the offensive minded Morris.

Quarterback

Although there is still no decision on who will be starting under center when the Minutemen open their season at Kansas State, there are a handful of hopefuls who will be vying for the starting job. Kyle Havens, Octavious Hawkins, Scott Wallace, Spencer Whipple, and Scott Woodward are all in competition. Woodward is a red shirt Senior who knows the system the best of all the players and who has a strong arm and has the ability to scramble.

Whipple and Wallace are both red shirt sophomore. Wallace was third string last year behind Liam Coen and Woodward and has shown signs of improvement this spring. Whipple, the son of former UMass coach Mark Whipple, is a transfer from Pittsburgh and brings with him great knowledge of the game. Hawkins is arguably the best true athlete in the group and UMass actually experimented with him at different positions last year, but he will return to the quarterback position this year. Havens, a junior college transfer, enters as a junior and might have a slight edge in the race as he is intelligent, can manage the game, and is able to throw on the run.

Running Back

There is no surprise that Tony Nelson will again be the leading running back for the Minutemen. He had a true breakout year last season as he earned a spot on the CAA All-Conference First Team and was ranked third in the CAA averaging 110.4 yards per game. As long as Nelson can stay healthy, he will continue to be very dangerous in the backfield for UMass. Coach Morris also mentioned that they will be trying to plug in a couple of the young guys during the season too.

Wide Receiver/Tight End

The wide receiver position should be filled with a lot of experience, talent, and leadership. Victor Cruz, Jeremy Horne, Julian Talley, and Joe Sanford make up the tough group. Cruz enters this season as the leading receiver out of the group. He was a First Team CAA All-Conference player last year and led the Minutemen with 71 catches and 1,064 yards to go along with six touchdowns. Horne, a transfer from Syracuse, carries the most playing experience out of the group and was an All-CAA Third Team receiver last season where he caught 50 passes for 895 yards and eight touchdowns. Horne is also able to return kicks with his excellent speed and quickness.

Talley, the youngest of the four, will be looked upon to have a breakout season as a redshirt sophomore. Finally, Sanford will be more of a role receiver as he brings a lot of intelligence to the position since he is a former quarterback. With the loss of Ian Jorgensen, Matt Silver, Andrew Krevis, and Emil Igwenagu will be featured at the Tight End position.

Offensive Line

The Minutemen return three starters on the offensive line in Vladimir Ducasse, Rob Getek, and Josh Samuda. Samuda started in 11 out of the 12 games last season and will be on the left side with All-American Ducasse. Getek, who made a significant improvement last year at right tackle after moving from tight end, will bring a lot of experience to the already solid line. The newcomers to the line will be Brian Ostaszewski, Brandon Flanagan, and Justin Sawicki. Ostaszewski should be contributing either at right guard or tackle and after contributing a decent amount last season, should be ready to be a regular starter. Flanagan and Sawicki will be fighting for the fifth position on the line. Flanagan is a transfer from Buffalo who did not play in any games last season and Sawicki has been improving and hopes to see significant playing time this season.

Once UMass gets their quarterback situation figured out, the rest of the offense will fall into place. A group that has a good amount of experience and intelligence with an offensive minded head coach pulling the strings could spell out disaster for opposing defenses this season.

TGIF: Baseball’s Second Half Studs

Pete — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:00:20 +0000

The season is half over and you have some decisions to make. If you are low on the totem pole and need to make a run at the playoffs, then clearly the team you have now needs some adjusting. Searching free agency and looking for potential trades can be a stressful endeavor.

The important thing to do now is to look for players who can really boost your team in the 2nd half of the season. After all, it is the dog days of summer that will ultimately decide your fate in your baseball league. How do you know what players to pick up and/or trade for anyway? I think I can lend a helping hand on that one. Here are a few suggestions:

Hitters

Nick Markakis (RF), Baltimore Orioles

Hitting a modest .290 with eight home runs, and 56 RBI, Markakis is one of the unsung heroes of fantasy. Over the past three seasons, Markakis has hit .317/.388/.525 after the break. August is where he really shines with a .338 avg, 19 HR, and 74 RBI. Interestingly, during the ‘06 and ‘07 seasons, over half of Markakis’ HR totals for the season came in the final two months.

Randy Winn (LF,CF,RF), San Francisco Giants

So what if he doesn’t flash power and drive in a ton of runs? Frankly, if you have him on your team for those purposes, then you deserve to lose. Winn is as consistent as they come post-break. A career .300 hitter in the 2nd half, Winn hit .332 Post-All Star including an outlandish .400 in August last season. Winn has hit .324 or higher after the break in three of the past four seasons and is already heating up in July (.346). Expect the same hitting and he will grab an additional 7-10 stolen bases.

Billy Butler (1B), Kansas City Royals

Though not the Greek God of Hitting that everyone says he will be, Butler definitely has use on your team for a playoff run. In his short career, Butler has compiled .299/.350/.459 line after the break. The slugging is 50 points higher than it is before the break, so Butler makes a lot of hard contact in the summer months. He especially turned it on last season when he went from a .249 avg before the break to a .305 avg with nine home runs after the break.

Adam LaRoche (1B), Pittsburgh Pirates

All I’m going to do for LaRoche is show you his lines for Pre-All Star and Post-All Star.

Pre- All Star: 461 games – .254/.328/.451 with 63 HR and 242 RBI
Post- All Star: 306 games – .297/.360/.548 with 60 HR and 183 RBI

Troy Tulowitzki (SS), Colorado Rockies

After starting out this season by hitting .226 through the first two months, you may have wanted to leave Tulowitzki for dead. After a June where he hit .305 with seven homers, things will only get better. A career .299 hitter after the break (compared to .249 before the break), Tulowitzki really shines in September with 10 career homers during that month and he even hit .330 in September last season.

Pitchers

Roy Oswalt (SP), Houston Astros

Over the past few seasons, Oswalt’s season ERA has been on the rise. However, the 2nd half has always been very good to him. His career mark after the break is 2.89 which is almost a half run better than his career mark before the break (3.38). His 2nd half ERA has been 2.57 or lower in each of the last two seasons and after the break in ‘08, Oswalt was 10-2.

Cole Hamels (SP), Philadelphia Phillies

Hamels is having a tough time now with a 4.70 ERA, but things will turn around. If history means anything, then Hamels is due for a great 2nd half. In two of the past three seasons, Hamels’ ERA after the break has been under 3.00. The lone exception was his rookie season when he went from a 5.44 ERA before the break to a 3.39 ERA after the break. Considering he shaved two full runs off his ERA, I think we will let it slide. Oh, and he has career ERA’s of 2.73 and 2.70 in August and September.

Derek Lowe (SP), Atlanta Braves

Things aren’t going so well for Lowe at the moment (7-7, 4.56 ERA). July is historically his worst month where he holds a 5.05 ERA. However, I will give my approval to Lowe when it comes to September. It is the best month in his career with a 3.14 ERA and I can’t ignore what he did last season when he dominated opposing offenses in September by going 3-0 with a 0.59 ERA.

Scott Baker (SP), Minnesota Twins

Don’t let the numbers fool you, Baker’s current 5.31 ERA is due to a really slow start (6.32 ERA through Arpil and May). Before his game against the Yankees on July 7th, Baker had put together a 4-0 stretch with five quality starts. June was his best month this year with a 3.20 ERA. He finished strong last season with a 3.43 ERA after the break with a September that had him going 3-0 with a 2.53 ERA. In 2007, he had a 3.44 ERA after the break with an impressive 2.59 ERA in August. Basically, he is on a roll now and he has a proven track record in the summer.

Johan Santana (SP), New York Mets

We’ll put this under our “no s**t” section. It is important to emphasize Santana’s dominance after the All Star break. In his career, Santana has posted career ERA’s of 3.45 before the break and 2.70 after the break. He has a career record of 58-17 post-break and August is the best month of his career where he posts and ERA of 2.36. Try to convince a Santana owner to trade him to you, especially after his June (2-4, 6.19 ERA). If you can get him, then you don’t have to worry about pitching for the rest of the season.

Wakefield Makes a Rookie Appearance, Ortiz Can Finally Hit?

Melissa — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:07:32 +0000

Introducing a weekly a column taking a look at the top five sports events this past week that left us all asking the question “Did that just happen?”

In no particular order…

Celtics Sign Rasheed Wallace

Surprise! Well, maybe not, but the Celtics have assured the rest of the NBA that they are able and willing to compete with the best-of-the-best to try and secure their 18^th championship. With the Cavaliers signing Shaquille O’Neal and the Lakers getting Ron Artest, the Celtics are right where they need to be to make a big statement. Although a big statement is almost guaranteed, the way Wallace racks up those technical fouls…

Big Papi is Actually Hitting Home Runs

In seasons past, this would seem ridiculous on a “did that just happen” list. But times have changed, and so has David Ortiz’s swing. Although at this point in the season, I think it’s finally safe to say that he’s really back – Ortiz’s three-run homer in Wednesday’s game against Oakland and now Thursday, proves it.

Steve “Air” McNair is Shot and Killed

And if that wasn’t enough to shock us all, the latest reports are saying that it was a murder-suicide.

Red Sox lose to Oakland A’s on Nomar’s return to Fenway…

Did anyone see this coming for Monday night baseball? A 6-0 shutout loss in the opening game of the series against the A’s? At Fenway Park? It certainly took me by surprise. The icing on the cake was Nomar Garciaparra’s first visit back to Fenway since 2004. He even earned a standing ovation. The Red Sox went on to win their next two games against the A’s, so maybe we can just chalk that one game up to bad luck.

…but Tim Wakefield becomes an All-Star rookie at 42.

This makes Wakefield the oldest player selected to play in the All-Star game since 1952. Well done for Wakefield, who has been dominant this season with Wednesday night’s win making it his 11^th of the season, the best record in MLB.

Side note: As a team, the Red Sox will be sending six players to the All-Star game. Talk about representation.

What about the rest of you? What would you add to the “did that just happen” list for this week?

A “Royal” Disappointment: Red Sox Lose Again at Fenway

Melissa — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 06:03:54 +0000

The Red Sox dropped the ball again last night with their first game against the Kansas City Royals, blowing a four-run lead that led to the 8-6 loss at Fenway.

It started out with a bang. David Ortiz blasted his 300^thcareer homer for two runs, and the Sox were up 3-0 at the end of the first. In the top of the fourth, things started to unravel just a little bit, and the Royals came too close for comfort by scoring three runs of their own.

Dustin Pedroia hit his own home run in the fifth inning, making it 5-3 Red Sox. However, if the game looked like it was going to unravel earlier, it was completely undone by the end of the sixth. The bullpen started to struggle. First Manny Delcarmen and then Justin Masterson, giving up four more runs (including a two-run homer by David DeJesus) to make it 7-5 Kansas City.

The Red Sox looked like they were ready to rally in the eighth. With the bases loaded, Mark Kotsay hit a sacrifice fly that scored Jason Bay, but the Red Sox were unable to do anything more. Daniel Bard pitched brilliantly striking out three of the four batters he faced, but to no avail. The game ended with a disappointing 8-6 loss for the Sox.

Sox Stud of the Game: David Ortiz, yet again!

I can’t help it, and it’s still well-deserved. In a game where no one was particularly “studly,” Ortiz did hit his 300th home run. Which makes him studly enough for this recap.

Sox Dud of the Game: The Team

It wasn’t only the bullpen that failed tonight, it was also the error by Jason Varitek and the lack of offense when there was prime opportunity. The Sox were only 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

That’s What He Said:

“There are times when things don’t always work out. Lately, it has been a different guy missing on a different pitch at a different time.” – Justin Masterson, on the bullpen giving up a Red Sox lead again last night

Game Notes

W: Luke Hochevar (5-3)
L: Justin Masterson (3-3)
S: Joakim Soria (14)

The Red Sox are only 3-4 on their current homestand and are 5-5 in their last 10 games
The Red Sox and the Yankees are now tied for first place in the AL East standings
Ortiz is the first Red Sox player to reach the 300-homer club since Manny Ramirez in 2002

Crisp-less Royals Come to Boston

Mike — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:00:07 +0000

Coco Crisp will miss the Royals first trip to Boston since his offseason trade to the Royals, which netted the Red Sox reliever Ramon Ramirez and resolved the center field muddle, giving Jacoby Ellsbury the full-time gig. Crips’s season ended prematurely with surgery on his right rotator cuff and now appears to be having similar surgery on his left shoulder. Without Crisp, the Royals muster the lowest scoring offense in the majors and sport the worst run differential in the American League, but thanks to the Indians’ problems, are only fourth in the Central.

The Red Sox have sputtered a little in this homestand as they close out the first half with three of the worst offensive teams in the league, but maintain the division lead.

The pitching match-ups feature Brad Penny against Luke Hochevar (4-3, 5.08 ERA, 1.29 WHIP), the highly touted prospect who seems to be settling into a mediocre career pattern after his first couple years in the majors. Jon Lester faces Brian Bannister (6-6, 3.87, 1.29), whose ERA has benefited from a number of errors behind him. John Smoltz makes his fourth start for the Sox and is still in search for his first win as he takes on Gil Meche (4-8, 4.14, 1.47) and Josh Beckett starts the half’s final game against Bruce Chen (0-3, 6.88, 1.29), who is on his tenth team in twelve big league seasons, including the Red Sox in 2003.

The Red Sox notably miss ace and first half Cy Young leader Zack Greinke. Joakim Soria, the closer, is back to form after missing time earlier this season due to injury. Hs is 13/15 in save opportunities and has a 1.66 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 29 K’s and a mere seven walks in 21.2 innings (12.05 K/9, 4.14 K/BB). The Royal bullpen is only 3/13 in save opportunities not handed to Soria.

The most interesting thing to note about their offense is the speed. They lead the majors in triples with 31, nearly 50% higher than the next best number (22), which is a good barometer for raw speed, so you would think that would translate into stolen bases. But, they are near the bottom of that category in the majors with only 41, and it is for a lack of trying: they are tied for second in percentage at 81% due to their second best 11 failed attempts, with Crisp’s (13/15 SB) injury certainly factoring in. With the Red Sox being near the bottom of the league in catching thieves (17%), K.C. manager Trey Hillman will probably greenlight his baserunners a little more freely.

Without Crisp, Willie Bloomquist is the main baserunning threat at 15/17 to go along with his .278 average and six triples. Miguel Olivo is the team leader with 13 bombs on a .249 average, 34 RBI, and 25 runs. Mike Jacobs has 11 home runs while hitting .223 with 28 RBI and 26 R. Alberto Callaspo has been a bright spot in his first test as a full time player, having already played in more games than any of his previous three seasons. He is batting .301 with 21 doubles, six dingers, 33 batted in, and 40 runs. Mark Teahan (.284, 9, 29, 39) and Billy Butler (.293, 8, 35, 36) have been key contributors to the offense as well.

The Royals have struggled more since Crisp has been gone, as his injury really hampered the speed dimension of their game and weakened their outfield defense. The Sox fortunately dodge Greinke and should be able to finish the half strong. Smoltz will again be a key to see if he can post a second solid start and perhaps get his first win though the veteran Meche can pitch very well when he is on. The Sox should win no less than three games.

Poor Defensive Effort Costs Celtics In Loss to Thunder

Nathan — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:44:56 +0000

The Celtics allowed the Oklahoma City Thunder to shoot 58% from the field in a 94-82 loss Wednesday evening. Oklahoma City’s electrifying effort was led by explosive 2nd year point guard, Russel Westbrook. The Celts couldn’t find an answer for Westbrook, who finished the game with 26 points and five assists.

For the second day in a row, the Summer Celtics were led by J.R. Giddens. Giddens finished with 16 points; Bill Walker added 12 points and five rebounds while guard Chris Lofton showed off his shooting stroke, scoring 15 on 4 of 5 shooting from outside.

Turnovers really hurt the C’s in this contest as the Thunder scored 34 points off 18 Celtics’ turnovers. The team’s biggest culprit was their leader. Giddens turned the ball over a whopping 6 times; this coming a day after he dished out six assists while only turning the ball over once.

The big men were another big reason (no pun intended) the Celtics lost this contest. The four Celtics’ big men combined for 21 points and 11 rebounds, and were continuously beat to the basket, recording just one block. Robert Swift, a supposed “defensive specialist,” failed to record a single block for the second time despite averaging 26 minutes a game.

Michael Sweetney, who is trying to make an NBA comeback, sat out of action for the second straight game.

The Celtics will play their fourth of five games Thursday night at 7 against Indiana.