With September now underway, the Red Sox have called up five players to fill out the Major League roster. Called-up were Junichi Tazawa, Chris Woodward, Joey Gathright, Brian Anderson, and George Kottaras.
While Tazawa is the easy favorite to make an impact for the big league club, every stolen base and late inning defensive substitution will put the Sox that much closer to the playoffs.
Analysis inside...
Yesterday, first baseman Jeff Bailey suffered a high-ankle strain trying to make a play on Brad Penny's acrobatic flip to first base Saturday. He's likely to hit the disabled list, a loss given that the Sox are about to face two left-handed pitchers.
How can the Red Sox replace Bailey against left-handed starters?
Home plate umpire Todd Tichenor just skyrocketed up the ESPN umpire ejection fantasy league standings.
At first glance, the A.L. East division leading Toronto Blue Jays were less than impressive. Tim Wakefield, however, couldn't have been more so.
No warning track power this time, Jason Bay wasn't going to be short changed.
The Red Sox didn't want to be the only Boston team to lose tonight.
Rocco Baldelli singled home two runs in the bottom of the sixth for the Red Sox giving them a 4-2 lead. For Boston, it was all the run support they needed but it didn't stop there.
What else could Terry Francona possibly want on his 50th birthday? The Red Sox completed a day-night doubleheader sweep of the Minnesota Twins slugging out 17 runs, 19 hits and 4 homers. Boston also improved their winning streak to seven games.
Manager Terry Francona reported today that shortstop Jed Lowrie would likely undergo surgery. Unlike the previous surgery that would have ended his season, this one may allow him to return at the All-Star break.
In other news, as Mike Scandura first reported, Jeff Bailey has officially been recalled to the majors. This follows Rocco Baldelli being put on the DL with a slight left hamstring strain. Par for the course.
Boston's pitching future was on display Monday afternoon at McCoy Stadium -- the future in the person of starter Michael Bowden and reliever Daniel Bard.
Bowden recorded his first Triple-A victory (which is interesting in the sense he won his first major league game last season) as the Pawtucket Red Sox blanked the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs, 2-0.