Entries Tagged 'Theo Epstein' ↓

Over the course of the year, Curt Schilling made it perfectly clear that if the Red Sox didn’t extend him, he’d test the free agency waters. So, it seemed a bit - how should we say … pushy - that he’d officially file his papers the morning of Boston’s World Series parade through the city.

Schilling has thrown a lot of good things Boston’s way, but he’ll need to see some good things tossed his if he’s going to stay.

Don’t get us wrong, Schill was definitely soaking it all in Tuesday, videotaping the parade while kicking back in a “We Did it Again” shirt on a duck boat. He was a prominent part of the promenade, and made no bones about the fact that he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

Still, doesn’t such a quick move, when he had plenty of time to file the papers, seem like a bit of a “F-you” to GM Theo Epstein? And why, exactly, if Curt wants to stay in Boston so badly, would that be a good move?

We’re puzzled by it. In his weekly Tuesday morning spot on WEEI, Schilling was gracious and made it clear that a return to the Sox would be by far his top choice. Still, he also made it clear that, “It’s entirely possible that I’ve played my last game for this team.”

On his 38pitches blog, Schill has already enumerated a list of teams he and his family would approve of signing with. Naturally, as he’s committed to throughout the season, there’s no Yankees on the list, but there seem to already be classes of teams forming in his mind. Perhaps subconsciously, Schilling lists the first 5 teams (Cleveland, Detroit, Anaheim, New York Mets, Philadelphia) alphabetically, then does the same with a second flight before tacking Milwaukee on to the end (guess he doesn’t want to pitch for the Brewers, huh?).

Considering the fact that he’s just looking for a one-year deal, it’ll be interesting to see which of those teams bite. Clearly, the Indians and Tigers are only a pitcher away. If that. Schilling could walk into either clubhouse and be slotted as the No. 3 starter right away, with the offensive production behind him to make a huge difference. The same can be said about the Angels, though to a lesser-degree. Anaheim clearly needs more offensive pop, but Schilling has always pitched like dynamite there, so it wouldn’t be shocking if they made a run at him.

The Mets and Phillies are perhaps the most intriguing clubs among the top list. Both would require a move back to the NL, but that would make Schilling that much better. It’s possible that he might get another four, five extra wins out of such a move, assuming he stays healthy. And, naturally, a move to the Mets would fill in the gap left there by Tom Glavine, while also reuniting Schilling with Pedro Martinez, and tension in the process.

That’s where things get truly intriguing. It’s possible that the Mets or Phillies (who could REALLY use a Schilling return) would be willing to throw $12-13 mill at the Big Schill, the number he was searching for in the preseason. There’s no way Epstein is going to match that. But what if Epstein offers Schilling $8 million? Would he be willing to take the $4 million pay cut to stay in Boston and finish his career with a “B” on his hat? It’s hard to tell. Only Schilling truly knows the answer to that question, and he’s not telling anyone.

One thing seems almost certain: The Red Sox will offer Curt something. And at least a couple of other teams will offer him something, too. Probably more than Boston will. That’s where rubber will meet the road, and we’ll find out if Schilling meets the road, too, based on his decision.

– Cameron Smith, 38 pitches photo graphic

Now that all the celebratory champagne has started to dry, the Red Sox have to start to think about some business. And first on the to-do list is the reigning World Series MVP.

Dr. Double has a lot to celebrate: A World Series MVP and, in all likelihood, a rich, multi-year contract coming up.

From a sentimental standpoint, resigning Mike Lowell is a no-brainer. Dr. Double hit .400 in the World Series, was nearly as effective in the two earlier playoff series and was Boston’s best clutch hitter throughout the season. He out RBI’d David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, for God sakes, and he even led the team in home runs at the All-Star break. Clearly, Lowell hit his stride, and he did it at the best possible time: during a contract year.

That being said, for every immense positive Lowell has brought the Sox over the last two years, there’s a potential downside to his re-acquisition. Coming off the best season of his career, the articulate and thoughtful third baseman will almost surely demand a three or four-year deal. He’s only 33 now, but even a three-year deal would push him beyond 35, the age threshold the Sox have set for keeping players under multi-year contracts. Boston was willing to get creative in re-signing catcher Jason Varitek, creating a clever, one-time clause that works as a default no-trade provision, and it’s likely Lowell would demand similar treatment because he’s been so comfortable playing in Boston.

So, let’s look at the overall parameters. To keep Lowell, the Sox will have to chip in a raise from his current salary - $9 million per year - and they’ll have to commit to at least three years, meaning they’ll be paying a 36 year-old somewhere in the $10-12 million range in 2010. Additionally, they might not be able to trade that 36 year-old, so they have to be absolutely certain that his power numbers won’t take a dip, considering his slot at one of the corner infield spots.

Of course, that’s when the other side of Lowell’s track record comes in. Dr. Double got off to a blazing start in his first Fenway season, too, but he tailed off badly after the break, leading some to question his stamina and durability. He quieted those concerns in 2007, but additional age can take it’s toll, particularly when one season goes for another entire month, as this year did with a World Series.

So, if you’re Theo Epstein, what do you do? It’ a truly tough issue, and it’s not made any easier by the fact that the fans have clearly said their piece. A petition circulating online had more than 8,000 signatures for the Sox to keep Lowell, and that was just two days after his MVP trophy was first handed over. Throughout the parade route through Boston streets this afternoon, fans waved signs imploring management to re-sign Lowell. At one point, Varitek got even more people involved, taking one of the signs and waving it himself.

And perhaps that move itself is symbolic of the true turning point in the Lowell debate. When Varitek was brought back aboard, a big part of management’s willingness to accommodate his needs was based on how he thrived in Boston, how he was devoted to the team and fan base and his importance with the pitching staff and in the clubhouse, as a leader. It’s why the team insisted on emblazoning his jersey with a captain’s “C”, the first given out in more than 20 years. Lowell has a similar role with this team. He’s one of the leaders, one of the even-keeled performers who truly thrives in Boston. He performs better when the team desperately needs a hit, and he was so effective that he emerged as one of the best No. 5 hitters in the game, the protection for Big Papi and Manny that the team thought it was getting with J.D. Drew.

In fact, Lowell was so good that it took the pressure off of Drew, finally allowing him to hit the way the team envisioned he would. When a player is so good under particular circumstances that it makes everyone else better, that’s when you know he’s invaluable, perhaps even irreplaceable.

All of that means that Lowell truly is invaluable. Irreplaceable even. And the fans are right. Re-sign Mike Lowell. Do that, and things really may fall into place.

– Cameron Smith, MLB photo

What, you thought the series hadn’t started yet? Au contraire, Pierre. The series really began yesterday, when the Red Sox and Rockies had to finalize rosters by 10 a.m., with both pulling what would have to be considered pretty significant surprises.

Tim Wakefield took to a microphone before the World Series rather than the mound, but that may save the team in the end.

On the Rockies side, Colorado added veteran starter Aaron Cook, a man who started Opening Day but hasn’t pitched since August 10 because of injuries and then had mixed results in a warm up simulated game last week. We’re not sure about that move, though we’ll admit that a part of it seems to look good for the Sox. We’ll see where the Series is at when he goes in Game 4.

But the man most expected he would see toeing the rubber for his opponent - Tim Wakefield - won’t be there. Wake was left off Boston’s series roster for the second time this postseason, opting to take a noble cue, and perhaps a nod from a miserable couple games at Coors Field in his past and passing the Game 4 buck to Jon Lester, in all probability.

While there are certainly die-hard loyalists that may be fuming over Wakefield’s ommission, be sure, it’s not a bad move. Consider all of the changes that the Boston rotation was going to have to force through to get Wake a start in the Series:

1) Wakefield was going to have to pitch Game 2, and then conceivably Game 6, because of his ineffectiveness at Coors Field’s altitude. It’s not his fault, the thin air completely deflates the drop of his knuckleball, which essentially turns Wakefield into your everyday rec softball pitcher. Not a nice scene.

2) Moving Wake to the 2 slot moves, Dice-K to the 4, which means he’s off the hook for Game 7. He had a pretty solid performance in the ALCS Game 7, maybe not a $103 million, but a solid one nonetheless. There’s no guarantees you’d get that from Wakefield in an elimination game. For concerns about starting a knuckleballer in a playoff elimination contest, just see the 2005 playoffs, re: Chicago White Sox.

3) With his previous back condition and emerging shoulder problems, there’s no reasonable assurance that he’d be healthy enough to go in a Game 6. That means the Sox could be dealing with a knuckleballer with two serious hang ups going in an elimination game. Not the best idea.

So, with all of these considerations in place, Terry Francona and Theo Epstein decided to go with the considerable lesser of two evils: starting a fire-balling rookie left hander who has struggled with control to split up righthanded power throwers, as opposed to a gimpy knuckleballer who struggles with control to split up righthanded power throwers. Is starting Lester a gamble? Sure, there’s no question. But it could pay off, too. After getting his jitters out in the late innings of Game 2 against the Indians, Lester had a terrific relief spot in Game 4 at Jacobs Field. While a playoff start for the young cancer survivor might be even more prone to his trademark blend of passable yet always winnable results - 100 pitches, 2-3 runs in 5 innings - that might be enough to get the Sox by, particularly on the road in Colorado.

And the silver lining? By stepping in to take the Game 4 start, Lester allows the rest of the playoff rotation to line up as it has.

If memory serves, that worked out pretty well in the final three games against the Tribe.

– Cameron Smith

As we prepare for the latest incursion by the senior blowhard of the Red Sox staff (cough, cough Curt Schilling, cough), with the latest Baseball-Reference preview, it’s hard not to turn the spotlight to one of his younger - much younger - teammates.

So far, Jacoby Ellsbury has been a hit with teammates and fans.

Jacoby Ellsbury has been as hot as nearly any big league hitter in both of his call-ups this season. Statistically, it’s undeniable. The only question is whether he can keep it up, and where the Sox can possibly find a spot for him if he does. Tonight that spot is No. 2, in this lineup:

Red Sox

1. Julio Lugo, SS
2. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Mike Lowell, 3B
5. J.D. Drew, RF
6. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
7. Jason Varitek, C
8. Coco Crisp, CF
9. Alex Cora, 2B

SP - Curt Schilling

Blue Jays

1. Vernon Wells, CF
2. Matt Stairs, LF
3. Alex Rios, RF
4. Frank Thomas, DH
5. Troy Glaus, 3B
6. Lyle Overbay, 1B
7. Aaron Hill, 2B
8. Gregg Zaun, C
9. John McDonald, SS

SP - Shaun Marcum

Ellsbury’s homer last night was his second in a Boston uni, tied for the number he put up as a member of the Portland Sea Dogs and PawSox prior to his arrival. With his speed and remarkably trusty glove, the youngster has been an absolute revelation, filling in a humongous chunk of the production lost with Manny Ramirez’s absence, while also solving many of the defensive problems often associated with Senor “Being”.

Still, that’s not the dilemma. What is an interesting conundrum is figuring out where Boston will put the Native American speedster when Manny returns. Not surprisingly, there’s a growing torch brigade campaigning for him to take over the everyday spot in right field.

That raises an interesting question all its own. Should the Sox A) Throw the $14 million man under the bus for one stretch drive? Or should they B) Stick with J.D. Drew as the everyday man and use Ellsbury as a pinch runner and sub extrordinaire?

The answer to that question is clearly A. And anyone willing to argue on Drew’s behalf clearly must be more than 100 miles away from the Boston metro area, otherwise they’d already be lynched.

Make no mistake, there’s little to no chance that Ellsbury can keep up his preposterous pace. He’s just not going to hit .430 people, it’s not going to happen. Now, that doesn’t mean that he won’t hit .300 or above, and it doesn’t mean that he won’t cause conniption fits whenever he reaches base, either.

And that’s the biggest reason to keep him in the lineup, at all costs. Ellsbury is the perfect, prototypical lead-off hitter the Sox have been desperate for all year. He’s exactly what Julio Lugo was supposed to be but hasn’t lived up to: a strong contact hitter who plays up to the stage on which he’s performing. He gets on base, he keeps rallies floating, he’s even used to hitting in front of perennial No. 2 man Dustin Pedroia.

Catches like this: Just another reason why Jacoby is an early fan favorite in the Hub.

So why not use the new No. 46 every day? We’ve got no answer for that. The question is whether Tito Francona and Theo Epstein will be able manufacture one. If their earlier full-court press for outfielder Jermaine Dye at the trade deadline is any indication, we’re betting that they won’t have one.

And that, in the end, may be the best Ellsbury development of all. Let the kid play. He may not hit every time, but he sure as hell is going to go down swinging while trying.

That’s a lot more than you can say for Drew.

– Cameron Smith

He just couldn’t help himself.

Curt Schilling was out of the spotlight. His team was finding a way to win for two straight days, pushing across enough runs against the woeful Tampa Bay Devil Rays to cruise after surviving a four-game series against the AL West leading Los Angeles Angels. Of course, Schilling was part of that earlier survival, winning his start while teammate and prospective Cy Young candidate Josh Beckett lost his.

Curt Schilling was doing a good job of staying in the background … then someone asked him a question again. Does anyone have some duct tape to shut the guy up?

In short, there was no need to bring attention to himself. But like he has so many times, Schilling couldn’t help himself.

Instead, here’s what Schilling said on his weekly radio appearance on WEEI, via the Globe’s Gordon Edes:

“They asked me about it,” Schilling said of his appearance on WEEI. “It’s not a big deal.

“It’s one of those situations you’d certainly have to look at. Knowing that I’m probably going to spend one more year playing, if circumstances happen and things happen and they made some moves that were positive, I’d love nothing more than to finish my career working on a pitching staff where I know that there are young guys that are going to be positively impacted by me being around [after] I was gone. I enjoy that. I love working and talking and being around young pitchers.”

Schilling also mentioned that he used to have a home in the area and would welcome a return.

“I love Tampa, I love the area, I love everything about it,” he said. “I loved living down there.”

How’s that for a wild turn of events? Schilling is willing to go pitch for Tampa, a place which clearly could use him? When can Tampa not use an ace starter, right? The answer to that question, of course, is never.

But there’s a bigger question here: why did Schilling have to say anything at all. He didn’t, and the only reason he did was in the interest of selfish campaigning for a future job, likely all to give himself more leverage in negotiations with the Sox. Just think about what Schill was really saying in that quote: 1) I’m willing to go play for a team that’s not a contender, so forget about the nonsense that I won’t jump for a rich payday on a losing team, 2) I’m willing to go pitch for another team in the division, 3) I’m not at all wedded to the idea of staying with the Sox at any lowball cost.

Of course, item No. 3 could be a total smokescreen, and it’s entirely possible that Schilling staged this whole farce thinking that Theo Epstein will blush and then be more likely to sit down with him sooner rather than later. Everyone knows Schilling would love nothing more than to end in a Red Sox uniform. To go out a winner on a winning team. To pad his stats in Boston to make a Cooperstown case and then put on a hat with a B at induction ceremonies.

But look at the situation from Epstein’s perspective. Why would he need an aging Schilling again next year? Just check out the prospective starting rotation without him next spring: Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz. That quintet would be largely dependent on Wakefield not retiring, but it seems like the guy is going to pitch until he’s damn well 50 years old, so we’re not betting on him taking a leave of absence.

It’s likely that nest season’s Red Sox rotation will belong more to young hurlers like Jon Lester than it will an aging Schilling.

Instead of paying a whopping $12-14 mill for another year of Schilling, Epstein - ever the shrewd financial negotiator - could re-ink a swing man like Julian Tavarez that could start of work out of the pen, keeping a man ready to move into a starting roll at the first sign of injury. Kyle Snyder might work even better. Then there’s the additional pitching prospects quickly working their way through the ranks. Rookie Nick Hagadone looks sensational in A and could be ready for a Buchholz type appearance by the end of next season. And that’s not mentioning players like Justin Masterson, perhaps the quickest rising arm in the Sox system, or Daniel Bard, the former North Carolina star who may finally be getting himself on track.

So Epstein and the Sox don’t really need Schilling. Would he be a nice luxury? Absolutely. Is he a necessity? Not at all.

That just serves to make Schilling’s comments Tuesday, well, all the more self-serving. It’s frustrating to watch a guy who would be a team’s playoff ace, on a team that is all but certainly headed for October, campaign for a future job somewhere else. It has to be hard for his teammates to watch.

Then again, they’re more than used to this crap by now. Senator Schilling has spoken, and in doing so, he may have moved closer to switching party allegiance.

– Cameron Smith

Like all minor league systems, Boston’s has positions of strength and weakness. Based on the focus of recent drafts, there are plenty of young Red Sox pitchers and a burgeoning crop of outfielders. Two years ago, the Sox were full of outfielders.

Catcher George Kottaras was brought in as a big chip in the David Wells waiver-wire deal, but he’s just starting to hit his potential.

But after an injury sidelined team captain and longtime game manager Jason Varitek for 1/3 of 2006, one of the organization’s most glaring shortcomings was exposed: the Sox have no catchers.

Of course, making the situation worse was the fact that two different budding backstops had passed through Boston in the previous year: Kelly Shoppach (now with the Indians) and Josh Bard, who Boston traded to San Diego to bring back Doug Mirabelli.

The Bard trade in particular has stuck in Theo Epstein’s craw, highlighting a rash move to lend Tim Wakefield a security blanket at the expense of the organization’s depth. Add to that Bard’s 1006 average above .300 and surprising power numbers in a pitcher’s park, and the deal looked like a true position sinker.

In the aftermath of that debacle of a deal, Epstein moved to try and save face by bringing in another young catching stud, George Kottaras, in a waiver wire deal for David Wells. While Kottaras has shown signs of emerging from a season of mediocrity in July with a .323/.397 (OBP)/.569 (SLG) month, he’s still hardly a slam dunk behind the plate or at the dish. Part of that is due to a constant evolution from fast-pitch softball player to baseball pro. But part of that may be a lack of comfort that could affect his future - if any - in Boston.

So, what are the Sox to do when Senor Varitek finally heads over the hill that is his prime? Suddenly, a six-year veteran who’s toiled in rookie ball and Class A is starting to look like he deserves a shot to prove he’s ready - or at least closer to it.

Quite simply, Dusty Brown (great name, isn’t it) is on a tear. The 15 year-old out of Yavapai Community College is in his second season of AA ball in Portland, but has shed doubts from a .224 year in 2006 to reach the heights of becoming Boston’s offensive minor league player of the month, winning the award over the aforementioned Kottaras. While Brown has been a below average catcher throughout his early career, he’s found a way to pick up the pace at a higher level, hitting .280 with a career-best tying eight home runs. Add in Brown’s .821 OPS - and his monster July numbers of .455/.516/.800 slugging - and Brown looks like a keeper.

Of course that’s before you consider Brown’s game-calling behind the plate, the area where Varitek has made a name for himself. Luckily for Brown, he may be the closest thing to ‘Tek as a defensive catcher in the Boston system. And he’s made calling a good game a dual hallmark with his powerful arm, a combination that leaves him as a real and intriguing prospect for future Red Sox teams.

If Kottaras doesn’t blow people away in the next year, Dusty Brown may steal his thunder.

As Boston bullpen coach Gary Tuck told the Globe’s Amalie Benjamin, he’s sold on Brown being a legitimate major leaguer.

“I love him,” Tuck said. “I think he has a chance to play. He’s quick, got quick feet, got an above-average arm, above-average release. He’s accurate. He receives the ball OK. I think he’s maturing as a receiver. I think people think his hitting is not good enough. [But] I think he’s got a chance to play defense here. Tough kid, too.”

That’s a pretty strong endorsement from one of the men who may decide how far Brown’s ultimately goes. Of course, if he keeps hitting the way he has, Brown will practically make that decision for them.

HIT AND RUN

- Other Sox minor league winners from July: Justin Masterson - who actually grew up in Ohio, not Oregon as previously asserted - as pitcher of the month (4-0, 1.36 ERA, 33 innings). Jon Still as top quality plate appearance percentage, Victor Serrano base stealer, Christian Lara base runner and Josh Reddick as defensive player.

- Budding pitching prospect Michael Bowden took the hill for Portland for yesterday’s Futures at Fenway festivities. He’s been one of the most highly hyped names of late, and could become a serious chip in the near future if he’s not deemed an untouchable before then.

- Closer prospect Craig Hansen hit a brief DL stint with a minor right forearm strain Thursday. He’ll likely be back within a week, as the move to sideline him was made partially to create a spot for returning outfielder Brandon Moss, who got his first major league hit late in Wednesday night’s game at Anaheim.

- Lowell landed five players on the short-season A All-Star Team: center fielder Ryan Kalish (who will miss the game after a season-ending injury), shortstop Yamaico Navarro, catcher Ty Weeden, first baseman Mike Jones and closer Felix Ventura.

- The team’s first 2007 pick, Nick Hagadone out of Washington, continues to dazzle for the Lowell Spinners. He had a nightmarish debut (5 runs in only 1 1/3 inning) but has not given up a run since … to go with 11 strikeouts.

- Benjamin’s weekly minor league notebook focused on the resurgent Chad Spann of Portland, who bounced back offensively after flopping in Pawtucket. It’s a strong profile, even if it was a bit snakebit as Spann hit the DL hours after it was published.

– Cameron Smith

Allright, we’re not even coming up with a clever riff about last night’s loss. To painful. Let’s get right to the facts:

There’s no room for Jon Boy to leave frustrated in Anaheim tonight.

Baseball-Reference pitcher, team stats

NOTABLES

- Jon Lester vs. Dustin Moseley? Not quite Curt Schilling vs. Bartolo Colon, is it? But Lester needs to pitch like Schilling to get the Sox out of this funk, that’s for sure.

- Not a good sign when Doug Mirabelli is your big power guy, huh?

- J.D. Drew in center? Can we put Coco Crisp in right? We could use him there next year to find room for Jacoby Ellsbury in center. I like this idea. Let’s book it.

- If Theo Epstein caught Bonds’ 756th, would he then use it to buy a decent power-hitting complement in the off season? Please Theo?

- Anyone going to be upset about moving back to the East Coast after tonight’s game? These 1 a.m. finishes are eating into the sleep hours, to say the least.

– Cameron Smith

Screw the Halos in the outfield. They’re killing the Sox. Where the hell is the meek team that got rolled out of Fenway in the April rain?

The coyote cleared trade waivers. Big surprise there, right?

Allright, some quick facts and figures for tonight’s Tim Wakefield showdown, courtesy Baseball-Reference
Also, here’s the dated head-to-head matchup info via boston.com
And, other tidy preview facts, again from boston.com

NOTABLES

- OK, raise your hand if you had Wakefield with the team’s second-highest win total in the preseason office pool. Yeah, that’s what I thought. What sane individual could have possibly picked the Sox link to the senior circuit as the big non-Josh Beckett winner? Win tonight, and that’s what he’ll be.

- Has there been a more deceptively under-hyped matchup between division leaders in recent years? Just look at those numbers across the last seven starts for the Wake-rider and Angels starter Joe Saunders. They’re ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

- Wily Coyote officially cleared trade waivers, which is significant only because it gives a lot more flexibility and latitude to Theo Epstein in deciding what to do with him. Unfortunately, what the team would desperately like to do with him - send him to Pawtucket - is out of the question. So brace for a lot more strikeouts, a few more homers and a goofy, big puppy of a man on the bench most of the time.

- The Bobby Kielty signing seemed inevitable, didn’t it? Would anyone be surprised if he snuck onto the postseason roster? Again, didn’t think so. He fits the lineup so well, even better than Eric Hinske in terms of what he actually does to help the team.

– Cameron Smith

Don’t look now, but the “closer of the future” may be close to becoming a “setup man of the future”.

Craig Hansen is finally looking comfortable in a Sox uniform … in Pawtucket.

With Jonathan Papelbon inked in to the closer role for the Red Sox for years to come, closer prospects past like Craig Hansen suddenly find themselves searching for new roles. In Hansen’s case, he may finally be nearing the trajectory the Sox brass - Theo Epstein chief among them - set for him when he was drafted out of St. John’s two years ago.

After bottoming out in a horrendous Pawtucket loss earlier this year - a monumental 9th inning collapse that cast doubt on whether Hansen and fellow pen prospect Manny Delcarmen would ever pan out to their potential - both players started a slow build back to the top. Obviously, Delcarmen’s progress was supersonic, and he’s now such an integral part of the Sox pen that he held up a deal for Jermaine Dye at the deadline.

Hansen, on the other hand, took a little bit longer. But his rebound seems to be just as successful.

As of an appearance Wednesday against Buffalo, Hansen had allowed just three runs in a month worth of appearances. Over his last seven appearances, for instance, he has a 0.68 ERA, a far cry from the 4.30 that now serves as his season mark.

So, what’s been the difference for the big righty who grew up a Yankees fan, then set his NY hat on fire with friends after being drafted by the Sox? It starts with not getting behind in counts as much. It’s clear that Hansen has struggled with his confidence early in his professional career, but his stuff is so nasty - fastballs that top out in the high 90’s and are consistently mid-90s, combined with a true out pitch in a high 80’s slider - that when he gets a first pitch strike he can be almost impossible to hit.

He’s a former All-American and the Big East Pitcher of the Year, and he was so touted in his draft that he drew comparisons to Minnesota closer Joe Nathan. Then, last summer he was part of a Sox pen meltdown of epic proportions, eventually earning a second demotion back down to Pawtucket. The epicenter came in a Friday night loss to the Yankees that kicked off the five-game massacre sweep that essentially ended the AL East race.

So, the question has to be whether the dominant Hansen of the past month is the real deal. If he is, the Sox may have captured lightning in a bottle … finally. It’s clear he’s not getting a call-up in the immediate future, but if he keeps mowing down batters in Rhode Island for the rest of the year, it may be hard not to consider him when mapping out the Sox pen in ‘08.

That would be quite a comeback story in itself. One that Hansen didn’t help give up.

Clay Buchholz is still looking for a first AAA win, but he’s hit his stride.

HIT AND RUN

- A big step forward this week for Clay Buchholz in Pawtucket, who struck out nine across six innings in a start. He allowed five hits, but his 137 K’s are among the best in the minors. Everything keeps pointing to a late-August or September call-up and a role in the pen like Papelbon’s first big league job.

- Just when you were ready to give up on catching prospect George Kottaras, the former Canadian fast-pitch softball prospect Boston netted for David Wells last year, he turns around and hits .382 in a 15 game stretch in Pawtucket. The man with the mask is getting harder and harder to project, which is a good thing after his sluggish start.

- Don’t fret over Jacoby Ellsbury’s minor groin tweak. He’s expected back in action this weekend.

- Brandon Moss, who was a AAA All-Star, is slumping at the plate and watching his power number’s plummet. The outfield prospect, who was rated higher than the recently traded David Murphy, has just one homer in 184 at bats.

- Michael Bowden may have come up in trade talks, but the Portland hurler wasn’t going anywhere. He’s 3-0 in his last four starts, and has 14 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings.

- Amalie Benjamin’s minor league notebook is a terrific feature on the trials and travails of last year’s top Sox pick, Daniel Bard, who is truly toiling in the low minors. Get enough t’s in that last sentence?

– Cameron Smith

Let me get this straight: The Red Sox land Eric Gagne but miss on an equally huge trade, for Jermaine Dye. Curt Schilling starts in AAA, all on the undercard of the biggest trade in any sport over the past three years, sending Minnesota basketball superstar to … Boston. And then, of course there’s Patriots training camp. So, we’ve got Sox, Pats, Celts blockbuster days. I think that makes it your move Jeremy Jacobs! En guard!

Eric Gagne looks like a good get for the Sox.

BOSTON HERALD

Bedard, O’s deal Sox loss - Whoa, we’re blessed with a Michael Silverman gamer! With (surprise, surprise) a Celtics lead!

Ortiz a fan of C’s deal - We’re hoping that Tony Massaroti gets subsidized for this terrific Celtics ticket sales job. Evidently Big Papi and Terry Francona are big basketball fans. Or at least they know how to give diplomatic quotes.

‘Pen-happy Sox close deal on Gagne - Silverman writes on how the Sox landed Eric Gagne, not to mention why they did.

Donnelly to have surgery - Silverman’s notebook leads with the extended absence of reliever Brendan Donnelly, who will miss the rest of the year after Tommy John surgery.

Trade a relief to Papi - So, as Ken Powtak explains, maybe there’s another reason the Sox got Gagne, keeping him away from the Yanks and Mets: Big Papi doesn’t like trying to hit him.

PROVIDENCE JOURNAL

Beckett’s bender is one of the best - On a night in which he loses a game, Steven Krasner writes about the dominance of Beckett’s curveball.

Papi sees Gagne as hot stuff - Krasner and Carolyn Thornton combine on a Papi-Gagne piece that’s pretty similar to Silverman’s Herald number.

The Perfect Pitch - Sean McAdam nails a piece about how Gagne’s acquisition doesn’t just make Boston better, it also directly hurts the Yankees. Much like the Bobby Abreu fiasco turned the tide last year.

Gagne’s on the way, Schilling’s looking strong, things are moving up, eh?

Nothing left but the shouting - Thornton writes the game story, focusing on Big Papi’s big night and Beckett’s big yelp.

Schilling shines in Columbus, makes his way back to Boston - Tonight the Schilling special is by a fellow named Donn Walden. Here’s what we know about Donn Walden: He writes a mean lead. Well done Monseuir Walden, well done.

BOSTON GLOBE

A day to remember - Dan Shaughnessy writes the fairly straight forward piece that needs to be written, about how Boston was the epicenter of the sports world yesterday afternoon.

Schilling right on target - And then we learned that the Globe’s Columbus correspondent is Dave O’Neill, whose lead isn’t quite what ole’ Donn Walden’s was.

Donnelly needs surgery - Amalie Benjamin’s notebook leads, understandably, with the loss of Donnelly. It’ll be interesting to see how much speculation on why the Sox went so hard for Gagne centers on the loss and diminishment of Donnelly and Mike Timlin.

Red Sox land top reliever, set title course - Gordon Edes returns to the section just in time to nail the trade deadline story, as well as speculate about the team’s potential pursuit of Bobby Kielty to fill the Jermaine Dye-less outfield.

– Cameron Smith