Concern for Papelbon?

Jonathan Papelbon is one of, if not the best closer in baseball. Of that there is no doubt. You don't have to look much farther than his 89% save rate (118 out of 133 since 2006), 1.84 career ERA, and 4.79 K/BB rate to make that assessment. Throw in the fact that he's not allowed a run in 25 career postseason innings over 16 appearances and his name stands alone with Mariano Rivera at the top of a long list of closers you would take with you to the end without reservation.

At the surface, 2009 has been more of the same for Papelbon. He's closed the door in save situations five times in five opportunities while amassing a 1.94 ERA. But a deeper look should give you pause to think twice about thinking that 2009 Papelbon has been as effective as previous years' versions.

BOS 3, CLE 1: Streak on

Jason Bay maybe stealing the "clutch" title away from David Ortiz.

Patience is a gift, use it right.

Pitch 4: Breaking ball, out of the strike zone, check-swing, strike three. I am not upset because Drew struck out, it happens to him, it happens to everyone. But it would have been a good move to at least try and hit that fastball that Wood gave you.

4/27: Late Game Thread (still 0-0 so it counts)

Sorry for the late thread...some miscommunication at Fire Brand HQ cost us a few innings....but Wake's there to pick us up!

Fenway Guide TRIVIA: GIDP in a season

Two-parter question today, each worth .5 of a point. Two Red Sox have the honor of the most GIDP (ground-in-double-plays) from their respective sides in the plate. Who are the two? (We're asking for the player with the most GIDP from the left side of the plate in a season and also the right side; not cumulatively.)

Bay or Holliday?; buy HEATER magazine!

Tyler Hissey breaks down the careers of Jason Bay and Matt Holiday and wonders who's the better value.

Lugo returns; is he better than Green?

Julio Lugo is back in our lives.

Get used to it.

While the pecking order clearly deliniates Lugo as the starting shortstop over Nick Green, it will be hard for Lugo to justify starting full-time over Green, at least in the outset.

Read on to see if there's an impending battle between Lugo and Green...

R before Y

The reverent bias towards the NY Yankees has become automatic and fairly universal. The announcers on ESPN and especially Fox…

BOS 4, NYY 1: Thieves

After Usain Bolt threw out the first pitch in Saturday's win against the New York Yankees, Jacoby Ellsbury wanted to remind everyone who the fastest person wearing a Boston Red Sox jersey really was.

4/26: Sweep time?

Pettitte has been the Yankees' best starter today; will he be the stopper for them that he's been so long? He didn't give up a walk or a strikeout in his last outing (seven innings) so that may not bode well for him. On Masterson's side, he'll likely struggle with Yankee players laying off his sinker. If he can stay in the zone, he'll go long. Otherwise, it'll be a short outing.