It is no secret that David Ortiz, Big Papi, struggled at the beginning of the season. But, was that reason enough to kick him to the curb? Do you put down your beloved dog when it breaks its leg, or do you spend the extra money to have old Lassie around for a few more years?

Some critics were quick to suggest bidding him farewell. Since when does a player struggling in the earlier part of the season indicate that he is a failure in the MLB?  In many cases, we are eager to dump off our old junk for something shiny and new.  However, would a kid fresh out of college and extremely wet behind the ears really satisfy our needs?  Few young players in their first year in the league can stand up to the tremendous pressure of competing for the coveted spot in the World Series. Walking into the college baseball stadium in Oxford, MS is significantly different than walking up to bat at Fenway Park. Continue reading Are Signs of Struggling Reason Enough to Turn on Big Papi? »

The Red Sox continue to be hot and are holding off the surging Yankees in the division race.  The Red Sox have won seven series in a row, though the last five were against teams considered to not be contenders and have Seattle, Oakland, and Kansas City, and their combined .455 winning percentage, at home to end the first half.

The Mariners took two of three in the teams’ only meeting in Seattle with Josh Beckett getting the only win for the Sox and have lost the first two games of their series with the Yankees before arriving in Boston on Friday. Continue reading Hernandez, Mariners Open Final Homestand Before All-Star Break »

Ever since steroids first rose to the surface of Major League Baseball, everyone has found some way to use them as an excuse for some problem in baseball, especially those who don’t know the first thing about the game. These people hear about the steroid scandal and think they know the reason for every slump in baseball.

They claim that, “he’s off the juice” and “his career’s over,” but a true baseball fan knows that slumps happen to everyone and it’s nothing that the sacrifice of the chicken or a prayer to the baseball gods won’t push in the right direction. Continue reading David Ortiz and Steroids? A Firm No »

Just like they had to do last season, the Red Sox must find a way to replace Mike Lowell. He was placed on the 15-day DL, but his stay should not be too long. After missing the entire 2008 postseason, Mike Lowell had off-season hip surgery, and it seemed like Lowell had recovered just fine. The 35-year-old has played in 66 of Boston’s 77 games thus far, hitting .282 with 10 homers and 41 RBI. Plus, Lowell is playing his usual above average defense.

With Lowell’s age and recent injuries, it may be time to think about a replacement for this season and beyond. Tuesday, ESPN’s Peter Gammons said that the Red Sox need to find another bat, mentioning both Garrett Atkins and Nick Johnson as potential replacements. Does Mike Lowell need a replacement? Can a 35-year-old third baseman keep recovering from these injuries? These are the questions that Red Sox GM Theo Epstein must answer. Continue reading Do The Red Sox Need To Replace Mike Lowell? »

After Tuesday night’s unbelievable 11-10 loss to the Orioles, which featured the best bullpen in baseball surrendering an astounding 13 hits and 10 runs in two innings, the Sox needed, above all, a stout performance by staff ace Josh Beckett. Depended upon to play the role of stopper, Beckett was hit hard, giving up five earned runs—including two homers—in seven less than spectacular innings.

I, for one, expected more. But, then again, I always have. Continue reading Is Josh Beckett an Ace? »

Mike Lowell went ahead with the Synvisc shot on Monday in order to help alleviate the pain in his hip, a leftover side effect from the surgery he had last October.  Although the procedure went well, and doctors additionally removed 15 cc’s of fluid from the area, it’s still unclear whether that may be enough.

Lowell was placed on the 15-day disabled list yesterday, according to the Boston Herald.  Although Lowell said he was feeling well enough to play a few games, Terry Francona felt it was best to put Lowell on the DL, to try and guarantee that this time when he comes back, he’ll be feeling 100%.

At this point, I really can’t be sure how much of this is just Francona and Lowell being “extra careful,” or if they’re trying to mask the seriousness of the situation. Continue reading Mike Lowell on the DL, Time to Panic? »