Red Sox in first place at the break

[Roy Hobbs]

A week ago, this didn't look possible, but thanks to a Tampa losing streak, we're up by 1/2 game at the All-star break.

Boston 57-40
Tampa 55-39 .5 GB
New York  50-45 6 GB

For all the injuries the team has had, that's quite an accomplishment.  They've got the second best record and the second best run differential in MLB, just behind the Cubs in both categories.  If Ortiz comes back healthy, I feel good about the team's chances this year; there's no team out there that is clearly better than the Sox.

[spelz]

Ortiz will be the big if....those wrist injuries always scare me.  Nomar was never the same player after he suffered a wrist injury.  Too much power in the swing comes from turning those wrists over.

[ma11l]

The big part of it is what you said about the injuries Roy.  If we can come full circle and get healthy come August I think we are the favorites to defend our title.


We need Ortiz to make it back to at least 85 or 90% if we don't get another bat before the deadline.  We need Manny's hamstrings and everything else to  stay healthy.  Most importantly hopefully all of the pitching injuries are behind us.  The whole rotation has missed at least a few starts during that first half and we're still in first place.  Get them going consistently and we'll be in for another fun September and October.

[Redz]

It'll be very interesting to see how Tampa responds to this slide. 

[nickagneta]

Another couple of things in the Sox favor is:

Only 1 other team in the league has played more road games and the Sox have only 1 ten game road trip left after playing 3 ten game road trips so far this year.

They are where they are record wise by having survived DL visits of two weeks or more for Beckett, Buchholz, Matzusaka, Ortiz, Lowell, Lugo(currently) and Timlin as well as extended down time for Manny, Youk, Coco, Ellsbury, and Okajima due to injury, suspension, or Mannyism.

19 of the last 28 games of the year are at home.

Right after the All-Star break they take their last west coast trip.

[Roy Hobbs]

Hmm...  when Lugo goes on the DL, is that something you have to overcome?  Or more like a celebration?

[Andrew Celtic Nation]

Hmm...  when Lugo goes on the DL, is that something you have to overcome?  Or more like a celebration?

Not gonna lie, I was excited when he got injured. I knew it wasn't a life-threatening injury or anything and it may still be in poor taste but he is such a waste of salary on both offense and defense and I know Cora will play more fundamentally sound and productively. Hell, I hope he gets Wally Pipped by Lowrie.

[MBz]

I was at the game Friday night, and trust me, most people in my section were happy to see Lugo go down.  It was actually kind of funny.

[nickagneta]

Hmm...  when Lugo goes on the DL, is that something you have to overcome?  Or more like a celebration?

I guess I should have been more clear. They had to survive the fact that Lugo didn't go on the DL for a long period of time months earlier.