BOS 8, TOR 2: Wide awake

Change can often be difficult. The Boston Red Sox lineup adapted quite easily.

5/31: Shake up at the top

New lineup, new result?

Francona shakes up lineup, drops Ellsbury

Jacoby Ellsbury may have an average hovering around .300, but his plate discipline isn’t cutting it. Things change today as Dustin Pedroia assumes the leadoff mantle. I’m sure we’ll hear more from Tito.

Lineups after the jump.

Cherry on top: Rocky works on scoreless streak

When Daniel Bard was called up from Pawtucket to Boston on May 10, it left a hole the size of the Grand Canyon in the PawSox’ bullpen.

Cherry signed a minor league free agent contract on March 24. And for the most part, all he’s done is hang zeroes on the scoreboard.

Through May 29, Cherry was 1-0 with a 1.57 ERA and only 19 hits allowed in 23 innings. But over his last 10 outings encompassing 13 innings, his ERA is 0.00 – as in zero runs allowed to go along with 11 strikeouts.

Jason Varitek is mashing

But the power. Oh, the power. Where did it come from? A .541 Slugging %? Seriously?
This was a guy that slugged only .350 last season. And that is basically “Julio Lugo on the Red Sox” territory. The power is a fluke. As Tek isn’t going to continue hitting the ball out of the park this often. But a little improvement in the power department. Now that is something I might be able to buy.
And Tek did have some off the field concerns wearing on his mind last season. So don’t discount what those can do to one’s performance.

TOR 5, BOS 3: Crash landing

Rocco Baldelli hit a two-run homer in the second inning. Then, in the the fifth inning, Baldelli crashed into a wall trying to catch a foul ball.
That’s exactly how Boston’s game went as well. The Red Sox were on pace for a win with a 3-1 cushion over Toronto. Then, Ramon Ramirez hit a wall in the seventh inning.

TOR 6, BOS 3: Long overdue

Casey Janssen had been waiting a long time for this.

5/29: North of the border

We sent the Jays into the tailspin, lets keep em there.

New mechanics, reliance on slider hurting Papelbon

There’s been no shortage of events this season that have taken us by surprise. David Ortiz, of course, is the big one. But what about Jason Varitek being in double-digit home runs before June? Tim Wakefield being our steadiest starter to date?

Here’s one that’s taken us by surprise: Jonathan Papelbon looking mortal. His 2.57 ERA is the highest its been as a closer, and superseded only by his 2.67 ERA as a rookie, when he served as a starter and reliever.

His FIP, however, would easily be the highest of his career as it sits at 4.60. He’s still striking out well over a batter an inning and is limiting the number of hits he’s given up, but it’s the free passes that have changed everything.

Poll: How the mighty have fallen…

As always, new poll is up to the right…vote away and argue it out in the comments.