Category: Jon Lester

5/15: Homecoming King


What better way for Lester to right the ship than in front of his friends and family near his home of Puyallup, Washington? I look forward to an evening of Dave Roberts saying "Jakubauskus".

Are the Sox starters as bad as they seem?

Sports - September 07, 2007
At what point can the Red Sox wait to address their AL-worst starting corps (or should I say corpse?), second-last in the bigs with a 5.81 ERA? Even the Yankees are faring better with a 5.64 ERA.

It's a testament to how good the offense and bullpen is that the Sox are hanging around first place. Once the starters start regressing to the norm, the club will be that much more stronger.

TAM 14, BOS 5: Torcher

Evan Longoria is being handed the American League MVP award courtesy of the Boston Red Sox pitching staff.

5/9: Southpaw Supremacy


Kid Kaz has owned the Red Sox at Fenway Park over the course of his career. Yet despite the 2.88 ERA and 72 strike outs in 68.2 innings pitched, Kazmir is still only a game above .500 against the Sox at Fenway (5-4). Truth be told, this hasn't been the same Scott Kazmir that we've been used to seeing. He's averaging a career low 7.6 K/9 and his average fastball velocity has dipped below 90 MPH for the first time in his career. Let's hope Fenway Park doesn't bring out the best in him. We know it does of his opponent.

For Starters

ALDS Los Angeles Angels vs Boston Red Sox

Coming into the season, Red Sox fans may have had some worries about the Red Sox offense, but general consensus was that the 2009 team was going to ride the success of it's deep and potentially dominant starting pitching. Experts, pundits, bloggers, and fans alike all agreed that the Red Sox staff was easily one of the best in baseball.

In my very own preseason preview of the Boston Red Sox, I certainly thought as highly of the Red Sox rotation as everyone else.

"As a whole, and whole being defined 1-7, there isn't a better or deeper starting rotation in baseball. Even when confined to the five that will take the mound every five days, I would put these guys up against anyone and feel confident."

With Josh Beckett and Jon Lester off to slow and inconsistent starts and with Daisuke Matsuzaka's early trip to the DL with "post World Baseball Classic-itis", the Red Sox rotation hasn't lived up to those lofty expectations.

Poll: Name those starters

New Poll Question:
Who will be the odd men out of the rotation come mid-July? Between a rehabbing Smoltz, a streaking Wakefield, Penny, Masterson and Buccholz, pick two to saddle up with Beckett, Lester, DiceK.

As always, new poll is up to the right...vote away and argue it out in the comments.

BOS 6, NYY 4: Undefeated

New venue, same drama. The rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees will always be eventful.

5/4: Welcome to Yankee Stadium


The rain is looking to wash tonight's much anticipated Yankee Stadium debut for the Red Sox. If it goes down, it could be a real swing game in the AL East for both teams and their starting pitchers. Is Phil Hughes for real? Can Jon Lester turn it around? Can the Red Sox continue to treat the Yankees the way the Rays have treated them so far this year?