Fireside Chats #83: Where we are all just polishing the machine…

Let it be known that no Boston Red Sox were injured during the recording of this podcast. We consider this a minor miracle. That said, there are more than a few injuries to ponder this week as Paul and I attempt to convince ourselves that the Red Sox can compete fielding 1/2 of a AAA lineup on a regular basis. Can the Red Sox win without Dustin Pedroia and Victor Martinez? How do these injuries impact the decisions to be made at the trading deadline? Have the trials and tribulations of this team finally won over the hearts of Red Sox Nation? All that and more on this episode of Fireside Chats.

6/30 Online Seats Game Thread: The Beast of the East

The Boston Red Sox seemed to have settled in nicely at home with last night's win over the Tampa Bay Rays. Daisuke Matsuzaka will try to make it two for Boston, as he goes against Tampa's Matt Garza.

The Replacements

In honor of the recent spate of injury-related call-ups, I wanted to take a look at some of the most surprising and productive replacement players the Sox have had over the years. This is obviously weighted pretty heavily toward the years I've been an active fan -- essentially 1987-present.

These selections are completely arbitrary; my definition of 'replacement' is essentially 'players who were not supposed to play a major role on the team, but did'. If you think I forgot someone (which I almost certainly did), mention them in the comments. Hopefully one of the current Sox replacements will be up here on this list a few years from now -- the team certainly needs someone to step up given the current injury bug.

Coveroo TRIVIA: Carl Everett pinch-hit for who?

When Carl Everett hit a single with two outs in the ninth inning to break Mike Mussina's perfect game? who did he pinch-hit for?

6/29 Online Seats Game Thread: Home Sweet Home

After a seemingly endless road stint that left the Boston Red Sox bruised and battered, they will have to mount up once again to take on the Tampa Bay Rays. John Lackey will head out to the mound for Boston, while James Shields will try to handle the Red Sox callups.

Red Sox stumble to break with replacements

Looking back on Sunday's lineup we may long for that day these next few weeks. The roster was: Marco Scutaro Daniel Nava David Ortiz Kevin Youkilis Victor Martinez J.D. Drew Bill Hall Darnell McDonald Jon Lester That lineup still held five of our expected starters. Getting back to the AL we will have Adrian Beltre back in that lineup, but with Martinez hitting the DL we are starting to see a lineup half full of replacement level players. Now it looks like Eric Patterson will be getting some time at second as well as Bill Hall, but neither has produced even one WAR in the past three seasons.

Poll: Whose absence from the roster will most define the 2010 season?

Last week's poll results put a decided death knell in Interleague Play as we know it with only thirty-one percent in support of the current schedule and thirty-eight percent of our audience in favor of eliminating it entirely. One thing that's for sure is that after the toll Interleague Play took on the Red Sox -- not in the standings, but in the infirmary -- Tito's boys are sure happy to have it over. This week's poll -- like the 2010 season at large -- focuses on injuries. With injuries to Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Cameron, Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Dustin Pedroia and Victor Martinez throughout the season organizational depth has been on display in full force in Boston. When all is said and done and we reflect on the 2010 season, whose injury will have been viewed as most detrimental to the club's performance?

The Replacement Brigade: Eric Patterson, Angel Sanchez, et al

It’s been another harrowing week for the Red Sox as yet another key starter has gone down to injury. With Dustin Pedroia sustaining a broken foot, the second baseman is expected to miss an estimated six weeks – forcing the Sox to scramble for a replacement due to their lack of infield depth. Elaborating on Pedroia’s importance would be superfluous. The former AL MVP is among the three most indispensible Red Sox on the active roster next to Kevin Youkilis and Jon Lester – if not the most important of the three. Considering the absence of any semblance of a Major Leaguer middle infielder in Boston’s stead, he is as good as irreplaceable. Still, the length of Pedroia’s injury is nearly as confounding as the injury itself. Assuming he returns along the proposed six-week time line, the Sox are in a purgatory of sorts when it comes to finding a replacement. On the one hand, they could trade for a replacement outside the organization - costing the team prospects in exchange for gaining about a win or two in Pedroia’s absence. On the other, they could tough it out with the inadequate options available.

6/28 Online Seats Game Thread: Pyrrhic Victory

The Boston Red Sox have sacrificed life and limb to take the series against San Francisco, but the Giants will send out The Freak, Tim Lincecum, to try to nab the rubber match from the Sox.

Robert Coello: The One Man Battery.

Catcher-turned-pitcher Robert Coello made his Triple-A debut with the Pawtucket Red Sox on April 19, 2009 against Lehigh Valley. Coello blanked the Iron Pigs for 1 1/3 innings and then was sent to Class-A Salem where he was 5-3 with two saves, a 2.05 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 66 innings. Looking back on Coello’s debut with Pawtucket, one thought stuck in the mind of pitching coach Rich Sauveur. “If you had asked me a year ago after he pitched that one inning, I would have said ‘Good luck. I hope you have a good education,’” related Sauveur. “But the strides he’s made in the last year are outstanding. “He very much wants to learn this game of pitching. Ask me now and I’d say the kid has an opportunity because he throws strikes and he’s got velocity on his fastball. He gets a lot of swings and misses with his fastball. “I’m very hopeful this kid will stay here,” added Sauveur, “and help our team win.” During his first three outings (one start and two relief appearances) with the PawSox, the 25-year-old right-hander has given every indication he’ll do exactly that – since he was 1-0 with a 0.73 ERA, replete with only five hits plus 19 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings. In retrospect, those stats are a microcosm of his performance with Portland, where he began the season.