Daniel Nava: From Washing Uniforms… to Wearing One

"I think one word comes to mind when you’re talking about Daniel and that’s perseverance,” said PawSox manager Torey Lovullo. “The idea that he was under-sized, stuck with it, had a love for baseball and had a passion for staying with it … there isn’t a greater story in our clubhouse because he’s had the toughest road to get here. “I’ve heard him say he was under five-feet and 100 pounds in high school (Nava is a native of Redwood City, Calif.) and got cut from several baseball teams. Now, he’s square in the middle of a lineup for Boston’s Triple-A club. It’s a fairly minor miracle considering what he’s gone through.”

5/1 Online Seats Game Thread: Dice-K Back For Boston

After a brutal late game loss last night, Daisuke Matsuzaka will make his much anticipated return to the Boston Red Sox, squaring off against Brad Bergesen and the Baltimore Orioles.

The A.L. East mountain is too high to climb

Even though the Red Sox have won seven out of their last ten, they have not been playing good baseball. In those same ten games against mostly non-playoff contenders, the Olde Towne Team's run differential is +3 (53 runs scored and 50 runs against). They should have won about half of those games. The Red Sox great record in one-run games is responsible for the six of the seven wins. It is unlikely that this trend will continue. They need to play much better baseball or we could be witnessing the first year in John Henry's tenure where the Red Sox will be sellers on July 31, 2010.

4/30 Online Seats Game Thread: Sox Move on to Next Birds

John Lackey will lead the flock down to Baltimore to take on the AL East's other birds, as the Boston Red Sox take on the Baltimore Orioles.

Poll: Early Season Stories.

As the season settles in, which Red Sox story has your eye?

Jason Bay is now average defender

A little over a week ago fangraphs.com updated their UZR calculations with the first batch of 2010 data. This update included some work on arm skill as well as changes for quirky stadiums including Fenway Park. This change was done to include previous seasons and now Jason Bay made one of the largest gains as his -13.8 runs value became a 1.9 value. John Tomase decided to use this as a chance to say UZR owes Jason Bay an apology. Let's start with a reminder there is no chance the Red Sox are using UZR and have their own model so let's not make any assumptions UZR had anything to do with the Red Sox failing to sign him. Even with the changes no stat is perfect and I'm sure we'll be discussing the next Bay in the offseason. Perhaps that will be Jeremy Hermida who has improved his defense in UZR coming from Florida.

4/28 Online Seats Game Thread: Lester Makes the Last Stand In Toronto

Jon Lester was finally able to turn his shaky start to the season around last week. Tonight, Lester looks to lead he Boston Red Sox past the Toronto Blue Jays in the last game in the Rogers Centre.

4/27 Online Seats Game Thread: Boston Beats Blue Jays

The Boston Red Sox were able to take the first game against Toronto last night, but Shaun Marcum will head to the hill to protect his home turf, while Clay Buchholz looks to build on what's shaping up to be a good year.

Adrian Gonzalez takes another step away from the Sox

I've never thought the Red Sox had much shot of adding Adrian Gonzalez this past offseason or any year before his free agency year. So far this season though Gonzalez and the Padres have made a deal even harder as he is off to a huge start and the Padres are winning. They are currently 4 games above .500 in this young season with Gonzalez producing very well. That is not the newest reason for a diminished chance to add Gonzalez. I think the awful signing of Ryan Howard might hinder the future prospects of signing the slugging first baseman. Howard agreed to a five year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies for a total of $125 million. That at first seems like a bit of an overpay, but when you add on a $23 million option with a $10 million buy out and his two years left on his current deal it is a train wreck. This has to change the market when looking at all the big name power hitting sluggers coming up in the next few years. That list includes Adrian Gonzalez, Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder. Plus they're all better and younger than Howard. These guys will all be signing deals that start in there pre 30's except the best of the bunch, Pujols.

One Coming, One Going?

In a day that saw the Red Sox add another very intriguing, young, good hitting catcher, they may also be saying goodbye to a old friend. (Click on the headline or 'read more' below.)