7/30 Online Seats Game Thread: There’s No Place Like Home

The bruised and battered Boston Red Sox survived a taxing west coast road trip mostly in tact. Tonight, the squad, led by Jon Lester, will head home to face the Detroit Tigers, who will send Armando Galarraga to the hill.

Showing Aces

The promise of this season, coming in, was pitching and defense. Instead, to this point we've seen a team riddled with injuries and dependent more on their offense -- despite a recent lull, the team is still second only to the Yankees in all of baseball with 521 runs scored -- than their bottom-third defense (tenth in the AL at 444 runs scored). Much of that blame has to be placed on the injuries to Beckett, Buchholz, Wakefield, and Matsuzaka; the mediocre performance from Lackey; and the the at-times awful bullpen contribution.

However, things appear to be looking up for the pitching staff: Beckett and Buchholz have both recently returned to action with strong outings, while Matsuzaka and Lackey seem to be hitting their strides. Shoring up the starting rotation would be a tremendous improvement for this team, but would it be enough?

Game Calling, Pitch Sequencing, and Reading Hitter’s Timing

Without a doubt, one of the best perks of working for a baseball team is the access to players, coaches, scouts, and countless others with intimate knowledge of the game. I can’t say enough kind works about the Sky Sox staff who have, over the last six months, imparted a great deal of their knowledge to me about how the game is played. Recently, I sat down with Sky Sox catchers Paul Phillips and Michael McKenry - as well as a number of scouts and coaches – to pen an article on game calling and pitching sequencing; discussing both the basic and the finer aspects of calling a game from behind the plate...

7/9 Online Seats Game Thread: Sox Making Moves

The Boston Red Sox's head north once again to start the series against the Toronto Blue Jays, as ace John Lester looks to clip the wings of Ricky Romero.

7/3 Online Seats Game Thread: Getting to Guthrie

Jon Lester and Jeremy Guthrie have both factored into twelve decisions so far this season, earning a (9-3) and (3-9) record, respectively. Tonight, Lester will look to continue the Boston Red Sox's successful record against the struggling Orioles.

Red Sox stumble to break with replacements

Looking back on Sunday's lineup we may long for that day these next few weeks. The roster was: Marco Scutaro Daniel Nava David Ortiz Kevin Youkilis Victor Martinez J.D. Drew Bill Hall Darnell McDonald Jon Lester That lineup still held five of our expected starters. Getting back to the AL we will have Adrian Beltre back in that lineup, but with Martinez hitting the DL we are starting to see a lineup half full of replacement level players. Now it looks like Eric Patterson will be getting some time at second as well as Bill Hall, but neither has produced even one WAR in the past three seasons.

6/28 Online Seats Game Thread: Pyrrhic Victory

The Boston Red Sox have sacrificed life and limb to take the series against San Francisco, but the Giants will send out The Freak, Tim Lincecum, to try to nab the rubber match from the Sox.

6/22 Online Seats Game Thread: Rocky Road to Coors Field

After a clean sweep of the Dodgers, the Boston Red Sox look to continue their dominance while the interleague season lasts, sending Jon Lester to the hill against youngster Jhoulys Chacin, who is sporting a cool 4.00 ERA since replacing Jorge de la Rosa in the Colorado Rockies rotation.

6/16 Online Seats Game Thread: Lester Looks to Lift Boston’s Spirits

Last night's systematic dismantling of the Boston Celtics may have shaken your confidence in Boston sports, but fear not... Jon Lester returns to the mound tonight for the Boston Red Sox to take on Rodrigo Lopez and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

6/10 Online Seats Game Thread: The Hangover, Masterson Edition

Justin Masterson routing Clay Buchholz to embarrass his former team was a forgone conclusion? Say whaaaaaa? After a stunningly, shockingly, horrifyingly inane loss last night, the Boston Red Sox will scrape up their shattered dignity and finish an otherwise strong series in Cleveland. And what better man to slam the door than Jon Lester? Certainly not Boof Bonser... that's for sure.