Evan: Please welcome Mike Silver to the Fire Brand writing crew! Tim Daloisio is going to be stepping down from writing articles for Fire Brand. He will still be contributing one podcast a week plus the weekly poll -- and will add in another podcast every week.
Junichi Tazawa heads to the rotation Tuesday against Detroit:
Boston's management has decided it's time for Junichi Tazawa to throw his hat into the ring as savior of the Red Sox starting rotation. Is he up to the challenge?
"Vintage Lester dominates Orioles" read the headline after Sunday's 2-1 Red Sox victory over Baltimore. While headlines are known for hyperbole, by definition, Jon Lester's third and best start of 2009 was vintage.
The first half of our ongoing Red Sox Madness tournament is in the books and #1 seed Dustin Pedroia will represent the offense against the winner of today's Josh Beckett/Jon Lester matchup in the final. Pedroia took fellow tablesetter Jacoby Ellsbury down with relative ease in the first Final Four matchup. Ellsbury's cinderella run came to an end after knocking off #2 seed Jason Bay and #1 seed David Ortiz.
Today we turn our attention to the starting rotation as we pit #1 seeds Jon Lester and Josh Beckett against each other in a battle that should enlighten Red Sox Nation's perspective on the "true ace". Which starting pitcher is more important to the overall team's success?
Remember, the simple question is "who's success is more important to the overall success of the Boston Red Sox in 2009?" Vote away after the jump!
After two grueling rounds of match ups, we now know the Final Four contestants in the first annual Red Sox Madness tournament. In a late run, (primarily thanks to Paul and I's get out the vote campaign for Jon Lester in last night's podcast), Jon Lester eeked out the closest battle of the tourney yet over Kevin Youkilis 45-42. Lester will battle fellow #1 seed and starting pitcher Josh Beckett in the second of our Final Four matchups.
The top half of the draw pits the top two hitters in the Red Sox lineup. Which tablesetter's success means more to the Red Sox chances in 2009? Is it the upstart #3 seed Jacoby Ellsbury or the reigning AL MVP and #1 seed Dustin Pedroia?
Remember, the simple question is "who's success is more important to the overall success of the Boston Red Sox in 2009?" Vote away after the jump!
In preparation for the best two weeks in sports, starting with the Final Four, running through the Masters with a little thing called Opening Day sandwiched in the middle, we idly pass the time with our Red Sox Madness tournament. As expected, Josh Beckett joined the upstart Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia in the Final Four. Today the final region battles to join them.
In what is expected to be the most heated battle of the second round, #2 seed Kevin Youkilis battles #1 seed Jon Lester for the right to meet Beckett with a trip to the finals on the line.
Remember, the simple question is "who's success is more important to the overall success of the Boston Red Sox in 2009?" Vote away after the jump!