The intangible benefit of Pedroia

The Sox lineup, as always, is a meat grinder. They have four players in the top 20 in the American League in pitches seen per plate appearance (P/PA) and Pedroia ranks seventh at 4.27 (behind Youkilis who is fourth at 4.36) through 217 plate appearances (Victor Martinez is 11th at 4.12, J.D. Drew 13th at 4.11 while Marco Scutaro is 33rd at 3.92). Pedroia is also second in the league in total plate appearances at 217, behind only Denard Span of the Twins at 218, and leads the league in total pitches seen. Factoring in the entire majors, Youkilis ranks ninth and Pedroia 19th in P/PA.

Sitting in the No. 2 hole in the Sox lineup, Pedroia pesky plate appearances have a ripple down effect. Take for instance last Thursday when Boston beat Minnesota 6-2 on the strength of Jon Lester's nine-strikeout complete game. Pedroia was 0-3 with a walk and a run against the Twins and Francisco Liriano and was instrumental in knocking Minnesota's wily lefty out of the game after 4.2 innings with five earned runs on five hits and three walks. Pedroia was in the midst of a 4 for 39 slump at the time that spanned from May 12 to 23 before putting up three hits against the Rays on Monday.

5/26 Online Seats Game Thread: Sox Top at Trop

As the Boston Red Sox continue their success against top teams, they will have to carry their momentum as John Lackey squares up to take on Matt Garza in the Trop.

5/25 Online Seats Game Thread: Rays Give Red Sox A Lift

Don't look now, but the Boston Red Sox are starting to win games against some of the toughest teams in the majors. Jon Lester will look to carry that momentum forward, as he faces James Shields of the Tampa Bay Rays, who has been simply dominant thus far in 2010.

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.

5/23 Online Seats Game Thread: The Vet Steps In

ust a few hours after Dice-K dialed in for a brilliant performance, veteran Tim Wakefield, starting in place of the DL bound Josh Beckett, will try to lead the Boston Red Sox past one of the game's best pitchers on one of the league's best teams, as they try to close an away stint with a victory in Philadelphia against Roy Halladay.

Can Ortiz hit the inside fastball?

I was in the Sox clubhouse on Thursday with WEEI.com and one thing stuck out at me -- Clay Buchholz playing Plants vs. Zombies on the leather couch on his iPad. Having played Plants vs. Zombies for hours on my friend's magical device, I can understand the addiction.

Thursday was also the day that David Ortiz railed against the media, Buster Olney of ESPN in particular, for criticizing him after his horrendous start to the year. I was not around for that particular encounter but the fallout has been pretty interesting.

5/22 Online Seats Game Thread: After a Rocky Start in Philly

The first game of interleague play didn't go as well as the Boston Red Sox had planned. But tonight, Daisuke Matsuzaka will welcome back some familiar faces from the DL to take on Kyle Kendrick in the second game against the Phillies.

It is time to plan for next year

We are starting to move beyond the "it is early" excuse for the Red Sox record. The club has issues and it may be too late to resolve them. Even the most optimist projection of the Olde Towne Team's chance of making the postseason is only at twenty percent. The Red Sox should be planning to sell off pieces this summer.

Nick Cafardo said in a recent piece for the Boston Globe.

Being the GM in Boston means:...2. Don’t ever think of retooling. You can’t give up the season and make the necessary deals with veteran players to replenish your farm system. Uh-uh, don’t dare do that in Boston;...

Yawkey Way will need to forget the public pressure to play for today. If this is truly not your "Father's Red Sox", then we may see the best example of it this July.

If the Red Sox standings demonstrate an unrealistic mountain to climb after the All-Star Break, a large segment of fans may not revolt to the white flag waving.

5/21 Online Seats Game Thread: Interleague in the Air

That smell in the air can mean only one thing... interleague play is here. The Boston Red Sox will head to the city of brotherly love to take on Cole Hamels and the fightin' Phil's.

5/20 Online Seats Game Thread: Lester Host Liriano

Francisco Liriano has been red hot for the Minnesota Twins this year, but the Boston Red Sox will have to cool him down if they want to widen their winning record.