9/10 Online Seats Game Thread: Go Westward, Young Ones

Boston Red Sox (78-62) @ Oakland Athletics (69-70)   Clay Buchholz (15-6, 2.25) @ Trevor Cahill (15-6, 2.27) 10:05 PM…

9/4 Online Seats Game Thread: Hurricane Double Header (Part 1)

Chicago White Sox (73-60) @ Boston Red Sox (76-58)   John Danks (12-9, 3.65) @ Clay Buchholz (15-5, 2.21) 1:05…

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.

6/26 Online Seats Game Thread: Welcome to the Jungle, Bumgarner

Giants fans have long been awaiting the arrival of Madison Bumgarner to add to their already stellar list of pitchers - but the Boston Red Sox will look to spoil his big arrival with a Boston welcome party.

Looking for Buchholz strikeouts

There are a few reasons why Clay Buchholz has outperformed his FIP and xFIP this season. He has been very lucky so far to currently have 10 wins and a 2.47 ERA. Coming into the season he had only Bill James and the fans projections on Fangraphs calling for an ERA under 4.00, but so far while his ERA has beat all the projections his strikeout rate continues to fall. In the minors Buchholz showed an elite strikeout ability getting over 12 K/9 in Triple-A, but after his promotion in 2007 his numbers had started to drop. Even after a return to the minors to figure things out he only broke a 10 K/9 for a short stay in Double-A. His K/9 fell to 8.53 in a return to the majors in 2008 and while lower still showed a solid skill for the strikeout.

6/20 Online Seats Game Thread: Dodging the Broom

GAME NOTES Not that Vincente Padilla strikes fear into the hearts of Bay Staters, but the Los Angeles Dodgers will be playing with a chip on their shoulder after their loss last night to the Boston Red Sox who will send Tim Wakefield to the mound.

6/9 Online Seats Game Thread: The Masters Take On Masterson

Having taken the last two at Cleveland, the Boston Red Sox bring the fight to their former top prospect, Justin Masterson. Masterson, the feature piece in the Victor Martinez trade, has struggled since the trade with much credit owed to his inability to put down lefties. Clay Buchholz, on the other hand, looks to continue his tremendous start to the season.

6/4 Online Seats Game Thread: Road Rage

The Boston Red Sox will hit the road once again to try to gain some ground in the AL East against the basement occupying Baltimore Orioles.

5/29 Online Seats Game Thread: Sox Drop Two To KC

(1-5, 3.57) and (6-3, 3.07). One of those lines belong to Clay Buchholz and the other belongs to Zack Greinke... and it ain't the one you're expecting. After dropping two now to the struggling Royals, the Boston Red Sox will send Buchholz out there in a duel of the young guns.

5/24 Online Seats Game Thread: Back to the AL East

The Boston Red Sox did to Philadelphia what the Bruins could not this weekend. But the boys of summer will have a whole new challenge, as they head south to Tampa Bay to face the Tampa Bay Rays in a good old fashioned AL East showdown.