Friday Links

Can’t wait for a full season for this guy. Photo by Kelly O’Connor, www.sittingstill.smugmug.com

For the second time in the last three games, Andrew Miller and the Red Sox were victimized by a 10th inning walk off hit. This time, it was Aaron Hick blooping an RBI single into left field that propelled Minnesota to a 4-3 victory and series win. Thursdays loss came after Clay Buchholz was knocked around for 6 innings but managed to limit the damage to just 3 runs before handing the ball to the bullpen. Meanwhile, Twins starter Phil Hughes stymied the Red Sox over 6 innings of one run ball. When Hughes left the game, it took a Red Sox 9th inning rally to scored two runs and knotted the game at 3 aside. The recently slumping Will Middlebrooks delivered a clutch bases loaded single that pushed across two runs against Twins closer Glen Perkins. While Boston’s comeback ultimately fell short, the team enters Friday with a 20-20 record and sits 1.5 games out of first place in the AL East.

• In 2002, the Minnesota Twins decided to dump a 27 year old first baseman with some untapped potential and an injury history. Now over 10 years later, David Ortiz has become a household name with the Red Sox, and frequently reminds his former club of their mistake to cut him. (A mistake for the ages: David Ortiz keeps reminding Twins of an all-time personnel mistake)

• So far this season, Clay Buchholz has not been the pitcher that we saw craft a sub-2 ERA over 16 starts last season. Even in his most recent start on Thursday, the right hander danced into and out of trouble over 6 innings. If Buchholz wants to reach his 2013 levels, he’ll need to reclaim command of his secondary pitches, while maintaining his fastball. (Buchholz the man on a wire)

• Now that the Bruins season is officially over after their heartbreaking game 7 loss on Wednesday night, the Red Sox are now the only show in town. To this point of the season the Red Sox have been perfectly mediocre with a 20-20 record, but there’s reason to believe the “boys of summer” have a chance to give Boston another playoff contender. (Late-arriving fans haven’t missed much with these Red Sox)

• Predicting a draft is next to impossible to do in any sport, but that doesn’t stop the internet from churning out mock drafts left and right. With the MLB Amateur Draft now weeks away, early reports speculate that the Red Sox will use their pair of first round selections on two high school prospects. (2014 MLB Draft: Keith Law’s mock draft projects Wilson to Red Sox)

• With so many people hellbent on trying to speed up baseball, the very identity of the game is being challenged. Outside of minor adjustments, the best thing the MLB can do for baseball is to leave it alone and hope viewers can lengthen their short attention spans. (Will baseball lose future generations to short attention spans?)

• Tweet of the day: It’s always an adventure with Jonny Gomes in the outfield