Jonny Gomes' glovework makes him a keeper

Sam Galanis
Contributing Writer


Jonny Gomes may not be the Red Sox’ best batter as of now, but over the past two nights he has shown that he deserves to get some time on the field.

Last night, Gomes caught a line drive over his head with one out and two runners on, preventing the Houston Astros from scoring again in the inning. This came after another stellar play the night before. Friday night Gomes made a diving catch with one runner on base for the final out of the inning.

If anything, Gomes is proving that he’s still an asset while his batting average lingers toward the bottom of the pack. Even if he’s not making offensive scoring plays, he’s shutting them down defensively. His career statistics show that he’s a fairly consistent player, so hopefully Gomes can bring up the rest of his numbers.

For now, Gomes is a great backup. He filled in left field and the designated hitter spot while David Ortiz was out and has been getting some starting playing time with Shane Victorino out as well. Last night’s play came after pinch hitting for Mike Carp. Gomes is a solid utility player, and it’s nice to think that the Sox might not have to worry too much about players getting hurt with Gomes on the bench.