Dragnet Baltimore: Sox at Orioles

On the fourth day, God decided he’d put the Red Sox through a lot and he let them rest. And he decried: Get thee to Baltimore. And it was good. And the next night they played, in the shadow of a Maryland event to prop up Orioles support that had gone flat, and Dice-K pitched. And here were the stats from Baseball-Reference

Big Papi should be back in the lineup tonight in Baltimore. Maybe he’ll even get a late hit?

And here’s a look at the overall series, courtesy your paper of record, the Globe

NOTABLES

- Bobby Kielty’s dismal Pawtucket debut may have slowed the “get Wily Mo on the next plane” freight train (if only we could work a bus reference into that sentence!) in the Hub … for a few minutes. Rumors about interested parties have quelled significantly of late, but it’s hard to believe a team like Kansas City wouldn’t take a jump at him for a couple of low prospects. That in itself is a depressing realization, isn’t it? We’re going to end up with two mid-level prospects from Bronson Arroyo? If we’re lucky!?!

- J.D. Drew’s performance in center Wednesday night was said to be so reassuring that Terry Francona may use him there more often. Of course, that raises the following question: Why aren’t we playing Coco Crisp out there? Every night! He’s been on fire. Are we the only ones who feel like the Sox may be setting up contingencies so they can ship Coco in the offseason amidst the Jacoby Ellsbury hysteria?

- Terrific piece by Gordon Edes in today’s Globe about - gulp - Big Papi’s lack of clutch hitting. But almost equally significant was the revelation that in 2007, the two Sox with the best late inning deliveries have been Dustin Pedroia and Jason Varitek. What do you think the Vegas odds on that fact would have been before the season started?

- Erik Bedard struggled at Fenway last week. Anyone feeling confident he’s going to lay two eggs in a row? Yeah, didn’t think so.

– Cameron Smith