Red Sox Road Ahead: Week 13

Posted by Patrick Pho in Featured Articles, Red Sox on June 29th, 2010 | one response

(Patrick previews the week ahead for the Red Sox each and every week. Start your week off right and read everything you need to know for the games ahead.)

Note: Stats are accurate prior to Sunday’s games. Game times are EST and pitching match-ups are subject to change.

Hey guys, it’s time for the Independence Day holiday this week and with the Sox also returning from Inter-league play they will have a shorten week. Also for this and next week you can expect a more concise version of the weekly preview- so let’s get on with it!

Rapid Recap

Boston Red Sox
46-31
2nd in AL East (1.5 GB)

I’m not much of a math guy but I do know that typically things tend to fall back to normal. When a team gets hot- they are bound to cool down and vice-versa. Thus when the Sox won eight in a row I knew they were due for a correction, and they split the past week.

Now with injuries piling up I’m a little nervous about a banged up Sox line-up going up against a slumping Rays team that is looking for a spark- and we could be it. These two games will be key now that the Sox have climbed up the AL East standings, luckily we also have three against the O’s for the holidays- and that should bring some fireworks… for the Sox.

At bat…

Pedroia tops list of newly injured Sox players (Photo Jeff Chiu / AP)

This week the Sox got bad news by adding Dustin Pedroia to the DL with a foot fracture. Victor Martinez also suffered some foot (and thumb) problems this weekend but hopefully he’ll be able to return to the line-up. J.D. Drew’s bat returned today and the Sox acquired Eric Patterson to help fill the gaps.

I don’t know what we can expect from Patterson- he’s a youngster that’s still struggling with Plate Discipline (6.3 BB%, 30.1 K% this season) but he does have a bit of pop in his bat. He does have a little bit of speed (like his older brother Corey) and perhaps he’ll make a good pinch runner. Of course we don’t need a pinch runner right now.

On The Mound…

Memories of Chein Ming-Wang came to mind when I heard Clay Buchholz hyper-extended his knee while running the bases. Right now he’s been one of the best arms in the rotation and the last thing we need him is to get injured running the bases. Stupid Inter-league play.

Schedule and Opponents

Red Sox games are available over the radio on the WEEI Red Sox Radio Network and on NESN in the New England TV market (unless noted.)

Tuesday, June 29 vs Rays 7:10 PM

Wednesday, June 30 vs Rays 7:10 PM

Friday, July 2 vs Orioles 7:10 PM

Saturday, July 3 vs Orioles 7:10 PM

Sunday, July 4 vs Orioles 1:35 PM

Tampa Bay TV: Sun Sports

Baltmore TV: MASN-HD

Pitching Match-Ups

Tuesday, June 29

Rays: James Shields, RHP (6-7, 4.55)

Last start: 6/23 vs SD: 7.0 IP/6 H/4 R/7 K/1 BB

Red Sox: John Lackey, RHP (8-3, 4.69)

Last start: 6/23 @ COL: 6.2 IP/10 H/5 R/7 K/0 BB

Wednesday, June 30

Rays: Matt Garza, RHP (8-5, 4.10)

Last start: 6/24 vs SD: 8.0 IP/6 H/3 R/5 K/0 BB

Red Sox: Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHP (5-2, 4.50)

Last start: 6/24 @ COL: 5.0 IP/5 H/2 R/6 K/4 BB

Friday, July 2

Orioles: Brad Bergesen, RHP (3-4, 6.83)

Last start: 6/26 vs WAS: 4.0 IP/6 H/5 R/0 K /2 BB

Red Sox: Tim Wakefield, RHP (2-6, 5.21)

Last start: 6/25 @ SF: 7.0 IP/11 H/4 R/3 K/2 BB

Saturday, July 3

Orioles: Jeremy Guthrie, RHP (3-9 4.28)

Last start: 6/22 vs FLA: 6.0 IP/7 H/6 R/3 K/2 BB

Red Sox: Clay Buchholz, RHP (10-4, 2.45)

Last start: 6/26 @ SF: 1.o IP/1 H/0 R/2 K/1 BB

Sunday, July 4

Orioles: Brian Matusz, LHP (2-8, 4.95)

Last start: 6/23 vs FLA: 6.1 IP/7 H/6 R/3 K/2 BB

Red Sox: Jon Lester, LHP (8-3, 3.03)

Last start: 6/22 @ COL: 6.0 IP/6 H/1 R/6 K/1 BB

Opponents In-Depth

Tamp Bay Rays

Evan Longoria and the slumping Rays come into town- will they feast or famine? (Photo by Abelimages/Getty Images)

44-31
3rd in AL East (2.5 GB)

Probable Line-Up

John Jaso/Kelly Shoppach, C
Jason Bartlett, SS
Reid Brignac/Sean Rodriguez, 2B
Evan Longoria, 3B
Carlos Pena, 1B
Ben Zobrist, RF
Matt Joyce, LF
BJ Upton, CF
Hank Blalock/Willy Aybar, DH

Last Week/Upcoming

Lost two out of three against San Diego, lost two out of three against Arizona.

Injuries

Carl Crawford, LF (Shoulder) Questionable for June 29-30 series at Boston

Gabe Kapler, RF (Hip) 15-day DL. On Class A rehab assignment

J.P. Howell, RP (Shoulder) 15-day DL. Out for the season

Who’s Hot

Nobody, Carl Crawford was batting .375 with 6 SB the last two weeks until he got injured.

Who’s Not

Everybody:

Evan Longoria: .178 BA/12 K last two weeks
Carlos Pena: .220 BA/14 K last two weeks
Ben Zobrist: .205 BA last two weeks
BJ Upton: .167 BA/15 K last two weeks

Baltimore Orioles

Highlight of the weekend? The Patterson brothers face off against each other! (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

23-52
5th in AL East (23.5 GB)

Probable Line-Up

Corey Patterson, LF
Miguel Tejada, 3B
Nick Markakis, RF
Ty Wigginton, 1B
Luke Scott, DH
Adam Jones, CF
Matt Wieters, C
Julio Lugo, 2B
Cesar Izturis, SS

Last Week/Upcoming

Lost two out of three against Florida, won three against Washington. Will play against Oakland for two before traveling to Boston.

Injuries

Jim R. Johnson, RP (Elbow) 15-day DL. Out until at least late July

Lou Montanez, LF (Oblique) 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-July

Felix Pie, LF (Shoulder) 60-day DL. On Class A rehab assignment

Mike Gonzalez, RP (Shoulder) 60-day DL. Expected to make Class A rehab start June 27. Might return July 2 at Boston

Brian Roberts, 2B (Back) 60-day DL. Out until at least mid-July

Who’s Hot

Miguel Tejada: .385 BA last two weeks

Who’s Not

Matt Wieters: .216 BA last two weeks

My Outlook

The are racking up the walking wounded. Even though the Rays are running cold I think this could lead to some trouble. I say 3-2 this week but I’m very nervous on that call.

How do you think the Sox are going to fare this week? Leave them in the comments or let Patrick know on Twitter: @dmbosstone

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