Fenway Guide TRIVIA: Dropping series
This is the first year the Red Sox has lost each of its first three series since ____ (year) when they lost four straight. What year was it?
Author: evan brunell
What’s the impact of Justin Masterson in the rotation?
All indications point to Justin Masterson taking Dice-K's place in the rotation after Dice was placed on the 15-day DL with arm fatigue.
As Masterson prepares to face the Orioles on Patriots Day, the trickle-down effect is significant, especially with the specter of the Josh Beckett suspension hanging over the team.
Masterson was a versatile option out of the bullpen that changes the makeup of the pen significantly. Masterson and Okajima were the two options out of the gate in the seventh and eighth to close out a game with the lead. Now, Saito likely takes Masterson's role, with Manny Delcarmen elevated in a role where the Sox pitch from behind.
Lowrie to have surgery?
No word on Jed Lowrie yet, but the fact that he's seeking a FOURTH opinion in Baltimore today means that the prognosis doesn't bode too well for him. I'd be surprised to hear anything less than wrist surgery that knocks him out for the year. The Herald has more. (H/T The Bottom Line)
4/14: Hey, offense. Haven’t seen you in a while.
Dice-K, are you prepared to step up with a quality start? That's what we'll need at an absolute minimum to win.
Red Sox claim Travis Denker
The Red Sox claimed second baseman Travis Denker off waivers from the San Diego Padres; the Padres nabbed him from the San Francisco Giants last year.
Denker, 23, has a .243/.333/.486 line in 37 at-bats with the Padres this year. It was his major league debut, and TSN.ca says he is "a true gamer with some pop in his bat, decent speed and pretty good plate discipline. Has solid gap power."
His flaws are that he "needs to improve with the glove if he has any chance of becoming an everyday player."
He is a career .276/.375/.455 minor league hitter. I would expect him to replace Gil Velazquez as the backup infielder.
Beckett suspended 6 games
How is it possible for a pitcher to be suspended when he wasn't thrown out? When the umpires feel the pitch wasn't intentional?
Josh Beckett, as reported on SportsCenter, has been suspended for six games for "throwing" at Bobby Abreu. As I mentioned here, how could it possibly be intentional?
This will definitely be appealed, so Beckett won't miss his next start. I wouldn't be surprised if the appeal was downgraded to less than five games, which means he misses no games.
4/13: Will the 13th be lucky for Lester?
With Lowrie out, we're even thinner on offense. Good thing our pitching is the strength of the team. Lester needs to prove he's the real deal after a poor start to the season. Take it to Oakland!
Lowrie to DL
Our offense is now a sinkhole. Shortstop Jed Lowrie is off to the disabled list with a left wrist injury, with Nick Green becoming the new everyday shortstop. Infielder Gil Velazquez was recalled to take the backup infield role.
Fenway Guide TRIVIA: Pedroia’s body fat
Dustin Pedroia's previous body fat was around 17 percent. What is it now?
Did Josh Beckett throw at Bobby Abreu on purpose?
In the first inning of the Angels/Red Sox game, Josh Beckett looked back at Chone Figgins three times at second base.
He then began to serve a fastball to Bobby Abreu, but home plate umpire Paul Schreiber jumped out, signaling for a time out. A startled Beckett buzzed Abreu near the head, causing benches to clear and four Angels to get ejected (centerfielder Torii Hunter, reliever Justin Speier, hitting coach Mickey Hatcher and later manager Mike Scioscia).
Who was in the wrong? What caused this event to occur? Let's take a look and try to pin down what happened and who is at fault.