2007 August: Peaks and Valleys

August was an interesting month for the Red Sox, as the Sox saw their pision lead dwindle, rise, dwindle again with a sweep at the hands of the Yankees, and now we’re getting comfortable again a week into September. The dog-days of August are over, and the pennant chase arrives. please note that Doug Mirabelli, Clay Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury did not spend the majority of the time, nor even end August, on the 25-man roster for August, thus they are not included in this.

PLAYER	APR, MAY, JUN	JUNE	NOTES
Josh Beckett	5-0 32.2/2.48/1.04 3-0 25.0/2.88/0.88 3-2 38.1/4.46/1.30 2-3 36.0/3.50/1.11	3-1 34.2/2.86/1.38	Ace.
Kevin Cash	N/A	.143/.368/.214	Cash can’t hit. He can catch the knuckle, though, so we may see Varitek pinch-hit more once Mirabelli returns to catch Wake.
Alex Cora	.360/.407/.800 .294/.339/.353 .216/.286/.378 .152/.200/.212	.257/.316/.343	Cora is a solid middle infielder who can be plugged in occasionally for pedroia and Lugo. Nothing more.
Coco Crisp	.235/.274/.338 3 SB .224/.303/.308 7 SB .330/.362/.455 5 SB .323/.391/.505 3 SB	.227/.321/.299 3 SB	Crisp has started sliding, largely due to the huge workload put on him. September should be a month where he rests!
Manny Delcarmen	N/A 0.0/0.00/0.00 4.1/4.15/1.15 15.0/2.40/1.13	12.1/1.46/1.14	Delcarmen is becoming a valued middle reliever, and should be able to make the leap to setup man in 2008.
J.D. Drew	.278/.376/.392 .171/.315/.237 .325/.404/.558 .213/.318/.307	.289/.366/.422	J.D. Drew’s August was encouraging. Will he show up in October?
Eric Gagne	3.1/0.00/1.20 7.2/1.17/0.78 12.0/1.50/1.00 10.1/4.35/1.26	10.0/9.00/2.20	Gagne’s travails in a Sox uniform are well documented. He is integral to our postseason, watch him with interest.
Eric Hinske	.294/.409/.471 .114/.205/.257 .333/.429/.778 .186/.286/.372	.250/.432/.429	Hinske’s OBp and SLG are fantastic. Now, about the contact numbers … he’s the leading candidate to be shafted for the postseason roster.
Bobby Kielty	.174/.259/.217 N/A .250/.308/.250	.308/.333/.462	Kielty has impressed in the short time he’s been in Boston. Let’s hope he keeps it up!
Jon Lester	N/A N/A N/A 1-0 12.2/4.26/1.18	1-0 20.2/6.53/1.55	Lester is still having issues with walking batters, but this is valued developmental time for 2008.
Mike Lowell	.314/.371/.547 4 HR .343/.400/.596 6 HR .227/.271/.386 2 HR .330/.376/.470 3 HR	.393/.452/.527 2 HR	Good god, MIke Lowell just won’t stop hitting. Contract season or not, he’s probably the Sox MVp.
Julio Lugo	.256/.346/.344 8 SB .209/.241/.336 7 SB .089/.170/.139 5 SB .313/.377/.448 6 SB	.286/.309/.410	A dissapointing slide, but at least it’s not to June levels. He needs to stop batting leadoff and pair up with Crisp at the bottom.
Daisuke Matsuzaka	3-2 33.0/4.36/1.21 4-1 39.2/5.22/1.39 2-2 34.0/1.59/1.09 3-3 37.1/3.62/1.37	1-3 32.1/4.45/1.30	Questions are arising as to Dice-K’s workload, but remember: he’s only a rookie. His numbers are very encouraging. Now, about those big innings..
Hideki Okajima	1 SV 12.2/0.71/0.63 3 SV13.0/1.38/1.00 0 SV 13.1/0.68/0.83 0 SV 12.2/0.71/0.79	10.2/5.06/1.31	His hip injury and possible overuse is catching up. We need to pitch him to keep him effective, but the return of Gagne is important here.
David Ortiz	.297/.402/.615 7 HR .333/.459/.540 2 HR .326/.429/.539 4 HR .330/.427/.568 5 HR	.311/424/.631 8 HR	Ortiz has really improved recently, and has rediscovered his power. Can he stave off his hurting shoulder and knee until the off-season?
Jonathan Papelbon	8 SV 9.1/0.00/0.75 5 SV 10.0/3.60/1.406 SV 10.2/0.84/0.47 4 SV 7.2/4.70/1.04 7 SV	7 SV 9.2/0.00/0.52	papelbon is settling into a groove with no injury issues whatsoever. Other closers are tired. He’s rested. papelbon = Game Over!
Dustin Pedroia	.182/.308/.236 .415/.472/.600 .333/.410/.473 .299/.358/.381	.346/.405/.490	pedroia just won’t stop raking. Can you imagine what his total line would be if he hit in April? Rookie of the Year, anyone?
Manny Ramirez	.202/.314/.315 3 HR .327/.393/.577 5 HR .322/.444/.494 3 HR .340/.425/.660 7 HR	.264/.343/.407 2 HR	Manny had his worst month since April and has been out for over 12 games now due to injury. Come back soon, Manny!
Curt Schilling	3-1 33.0/3.27/1.09 2-1 38.0/4.03/1.55 1-2 23.1/5.79/1.41 N/A	2-2 31.0/3.48/1.06	Schilling came back with a bang and looks like he can be a frontline pitcher again for us in October. Will he be in 2008?
Kyle Snyder	1-0 6.1/2.84/1.26 0-0 11.1/0.79/1.24 0-1 11.1/3.97/1.41 1-1 9.2/3.72/1.55	10.2/6.75/1.59	Snyder is showing his true colors. I’ve thought he would make an average reliever. That’s still true, but is not October worthy. Keep Lopez!
Julian Tavarez	1-2 19.0/7.58/1.58 2-2 29.1/3.99/1.33 2-1 30.0/3.30/1.30 1-3 22.2/6.75/2.03	1-2 25.0/4.68/1.40	Tavarez has handled his often unknown role well, but is still not a good play as a starter. He hasn’t relieved enough for us to judge there.
Mike Timlin	7.2/5.87/1.43 1.0/9.00/2.00 9.2/5.59/1.55 14.1/0.00/0.49	13.1/4.05/1.20	His August numbers are marred by his awful 1,000th career appearance, but Timlin has really been a nice relevation the second half of the season.
Jason Varitek	.239/.325/.358 .311/.416/.541 .234/.322/.403 .294/.398/.368	.234/.352/.390	He’s getting on base, but he’s not doing much else. So far in September, he’s been knocking the ball fairly hard.
Tim Wakefield	2-3 31.1/2.59/1.28 3-2 33.0/4.09/1.21 3-3 36.0/6.00/1.47 4-1 31.0/5.52/1.42	4-1 33.0/2.45/0.97	Wakefield had an amazing August and has a very real shot at 20 wins. Can his back get him there?
Kevin Youkilis	.291/.402/.407 .402/.447/.561 .264/.395/.368 .219/.348/.356	.241/.362/.398	Oh, Kevin. What happened? Come back with a strong September or you’ll have a dreaded label: first-half player.