-With Boston’s game for Sunday April 15th postponed due to weather. I feel the need to give an update / outlook on how things have gone through the first ten.

With today’s game being unable to start look for an impromptu double-header situation to follow in the future, as they do have the unusual 10 am start time for today’s April 16th game in Boston against the LA Angels. The ten o’clock game time has been for the BoSox in previous seasons also as the Boston Marathon is the biggest reason for the time change in years past, although I am hearing a few more reasons, un-factual maybe.

The Red Sox have posted a 6-4 win/loss record through ten. They hold a slim lead on fifth place in the east with Tampa Bay being only 2 full games behind. They have an upcoming series coming up with the Blue Jays for the division lead in this early season.

The pitching staff has looked great through ten games played. Starter’s rundown goes like such, Schilling has found his stride posting a 2-1 record and a 2.84 ERA in three games started including 15 SO with 4 walks, impressive after his worst start in years on Opening Day. Josh Beckett has been solidly effective over his two starts holding a 2-0 win/loss record and a 1.50 ERA with 13 k’s in 12 innings pitched. Look for him to continue on a good path today if they ever start the game which is appearing unlikely as due to the weather. Daisuke has quieted the haters thus far with his delightful attitude and just the sheer effort he has shown through spring training and his early starts. Tim Wakefield has only given up two earned runs in two starts as his biggest problem is getting run support from Red Sox batters, but what else is new. The fifth starter Julian Tavarez truly belongs in the bullpen and has not been given the starts to settle in as a starter and is a lot better than his 9 even ERA indicates, trust me. The pen has been up-and-down on this young season. Look for the bullpen to be very good late when they get Lester in as a starter and/or Matt Clement in there late in the season, but when they have a well organized pen and have Timlin and Tavarez working who can argue with the other parts they have. I love having Papelbon in the closer’s role, like no other as these weather delays would only hurt the youthful pitcher as a starter. Timlin is coming back so it will be another tool at Francona’s disposal. I like the RHP Joel Pineiro and left-hander JC Romero. But let’s look at the stats for the bullpen fully below.
Pineiro and Romero are a combined 6+ ERA so far. But all others as in Okajima, Papelbon, Lopez, Donnelly and Snyder have had good starts to the season.

At the start of the order Julio Lugo at SS has lead off with an average of well over .300 after ten. Kevin Youkilis has put up a good number of hit streaks but average still remains under .300. It seems that Eric Hinske will get some work this year also at the two-spot as he will be a good contributor as a left-handed bat off the bench. Big Papi, David Ortiz has gotten off to a slow start as has Manny Ramirez, combined they are batting around .225 with 3 HR and 15 RBI, though Ortiz has come on of late.

New acquisition JD Drew has faired remarkably well behind Boston’s two big-hitters hitting around .375 continually knocking out hits early and often.

Third Baseman Mike Lowell has started out steady and met expectations as a solid 3B and contributor. Don’t let the numbers fool you. He had only one bad game, I believe in freezing weather, quickly gathering three errors. I have witnessed his defensive brilliance firsthand. Lowell is a doubles machine through ten, hitting his two-baggers in double digits so far.

‘Tek has kept his batting average above .200, that’s something, right? But seriously if he can compose the pitching staff and hit anywhere near 250, I would keep bringing him back as Jason Varitek is the glue and hopefully will not be brought down by his own at bats.
Get ready for Coco Crisp to fluctuate from first to last in the lineup in 2007. Crisp is a very useful weapon. Is this the year he breaks through as an everyday fielder/hitter and carves his niche in the BoSox roster? At this point batting just over .100 and possessing a noticeably weak centerfield arm. Coco seems to be only delaying the inevitable by playing in center as in Shannon Stewart whose arm lost him the CF spot way back when, which makes a player more disposable in the long run, but still useful, if they can hit, just remember speed is not everything in this game. Boston may be in need of a big arm, big average type guy to make up for Manny being Manny in left and JD Drew’s shoulder hurting his cannon in right.

Number nine hitter and second baseman has a solid if unspectacular avg. under .250. I think the best case for Dustin Pedroia is if he is not noticed, as in he can go under the radar as long as he makes few mistakes and concentrates on the fundamentals of baseball.

This lineup and roster has its incomparable spots, but these guys I have indicated have their weaknesses and need to have good years to bring Boston to the playoffs once again. The pitching staff can take you far but they will go as far as the lineup will take them over 162 games.

The game is happening today so good luck to Josh Beckett and those Boston Marathoners and I hope everyone has an outstanding Patriots Day.

Written by Scott Penny