The Week in Review: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The Guru
Contributing Writer
The first place Boston Red Sox turned in another winning week going 4-3 to push their record to 34-23 as we enter June.
The Sox beat the Indians, took two from the Phillies and finished up the week spanking the Yankees 12-1 last night .The Sox are now up two games in the division.
It was an interesting week all around as Big Papi found his glove, Buchholz slept funny, Ellsbury hit a walk-off, set a record then got stiff, Jonathan Papelbon shut down his “brothers”, JBJ made his return to the bigs, Pedroia continued to rake despite an injury and a hero returned to Fenway.
There is never a shortage of drama when it comes to the Olde Towne Team. Let’s take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly from the past week.
The Good: Jose Iglesias hit .375, had three RBI, scored two runs and flashed some leather at the hot corner. Iglesias has shown that he belongs in the bigs. We all know he is not going to hit .430 the rest of the year, but the "sample size" we hear "experts" spout off about is big enough now to say this kid belongs in Boston.
The Red Sox bullpen is becoming one of the strengths of this team. Mortenson, Breslow, Miller, Tazawa, Uehara and Bailey had 22 strikeouts in 17.2 innings with a collective ERA under 3.00 for the week. Just don't get in the way of a Koji high-five.
Dustin Pedroia is making this list every week. Much in the same way manager John Farrell just pencils his name in each night. Pedoria hit .308 for the week with a homer and five RBI all the while dodging questions about his damaged thumb. "My mindset is if I'm nicked up, I have to find other ways to perform. That's the way I think about it. Maybe I'm crazy." Pedey, can you put some of that "crazy" into Jacoby's Gatorade?
The Bad: Jonny Gomes did hit a home run this week. Unfortunately, he only had one other hit. His average is now at .175. I don't care how "good for the clubhouse" he is, how many patriotic tattoos he gets or how many interviews he gives Jenny Dell, a little more is expected. We already have a mascot. His name is Wally.
Here's an understatement Sox fans: Injuries are bad. Hey, I just made a Jim Rice type of observation. I kid, I kid, love ya Big Jim. But at least I didn't say kids should hit bottle caps with a broomstick down on the railroad tracks. Injuries to Victorino, Middlebrooks and Ellsbury may have cost a win or two. All should be coming back in the next week.
Alfredo Aceves did pitch well in a spot start this week, but the fact he showed up at the ballpark at 6:15 for a 7:05 game did not sit well with teammates. Aceves was sent back to Pawtucket without addressing the media. Think Ace will ever get it? Maybe when he's pitching in Miami.
The Ugly: Jacoby Ellsbury could have very easily found himself basking in the glory of the Guru's "good" category, but his stiff groin got in the way. And he didn't even buy me dinner! Ellsbury was just starting to come around. He hit .478 for the week including a walk-off winner. But he got a little greedy going for that meaningless fifth steal in Philly. Ultimately it cost the team. I'm sure agent Scott Boras gave him a call later that night, "Ells, don't you know you have a hundred million dollar groin??" If only I had a nickel every time I heard that I'd have about... five cents. If I had a nickel for every game Ellsbury has missed in the past three years I'd have 12 bucks!
Jonathan Papelbon being booed by the Fenway Faithful was a little ugly me thinks. Paps was great for the Red Sox, good to fans and always entertaining. It's not like he was made an offer by Sox ownership and walked away à la Johnny Damon. The boo's may have even fired him up a little. #backfired
Alright Red Sox Lifers, don't be mad, but I'm going to say it: This may be the ugliest Red Sox team ever assembled. I don't mean on the field. I mean they are just ugly. We have a Pig-Pen (Pedroia), a Hacksaw (Napoli), a Side-show Bob (Saltalamacchia), a Walking Dead extra (Buchholz) and a whatever Jonny Gomes is. GQ will not be paying a visit to Fenway anytime soon. And I kind of like it that way.
Questions and comments encouraged below. Follow The Guru on Twitter @TheGuruGS
More musings from The Guru.
Contributing Writer
The first place Boston Red Sox turned in another winning week going 4-3 to push their record to 34-23 as we enter June.
The Sox beat the Indians, took two from the Phillies and finished up the week spanking the Yankees 12-1 last night .The Sox are now up two games in the division.
It was an interesting week all around as Big Papi found his glove, Buchholz slept funny, Ellsbury hit a walk-off, set a record then got stiff, Jonathan Papelbon shut down his “brothers”, JBJ made his return to the bigs, Pedroia continued to rake despite an injury and a hero returned to Fenway.
There is never a shortage of drama when it comes to the Olde Towne Team. Let’s take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly from the past week.
The Good: Jose Iglesias hit .375, had three RBI, scored two runs and flashed some leather at the hot corner. Iglesias has shown that he belongs in the bigs. We all know he is not going to hit .430 the rest of the year, but the "sample size" we hear "experts" spout off about is big enough now to say this kid belongs in Boston.
The Red Sox bullpen is becoming one of the strengths of this team. Mortenson, Breslow, Miller, Tazawa, Uehara and Bailey had 22 strikeouts in 17.2 innings with a collective ERA under 3.00 for the week. Just don't get in the way of a Koji high-five.
Dustin Pedroia is making this list every week. Much in the same way manager John Farrell just pencils his name in each night. Pedoria hit .308 for the week with a homer and five RBI all the while dodging questions about his damaged thumb. "My mindset is if I'm nicked up, I have to find other ways to perform. That's the way I think about it. Maybe I'm crazy." Pedey, can you put some of that "crazy" into Jacoby's Gatorade?
The Bad: Jonny Gomes did hit a home run this week. Unfortunately, he only had one other hit. His average is now at .175. I don't care how "good for the clubhouse" he is, how many patriotic tattoos he gets or how many interviews he gives Jenny Dell, a little more is expected. We already have a mascot. His name is Wally.
Here's an understatement Sox fans: Injuries are bad. Hey, I just made a Jim Rice type of observation. I kid, I kid, love ya Big Jim. But at least I didn't say kids should hit bottle caps with a broomstick down on the railroad tracks. Injuries to Victorino, Middlebrooks and Ellsbury may have cost a win or two. All should be coming back in the next week.
Alfredo Aceves did pitch well in a spot start this week, but the fact he showed up at the ballpark at 6:15 for a 7:05 game did not sit well with teammates. Aceves was sent back to Pawtucket without addressing the media. Think Ace will ever get it? Maybe when he's pitching in Miami.
The Ugly: Jacoby Ellsbury could have very easily found himself basking in the glory of the Guru's "good" category, but his stiff groin got in the way. And he didn't even buy me dinner! Ellsbury was just starting to come around. He hit .478 for the week including a walk-off winner. But he got a little greedy going for that meaningless fifth steal in Philly. Ultimately it cost the team. I'm sure agent Scott Boras gave him a call later that night, "Ells, don't you know you have a hundred million dollar groin??" If only I had a nickel every time I heard that I'd have about... five cents. If I had a nickel for every game Ellsbury has missed in the past three years I'd have 12 bucks!
Jonathan Papelbon being booed by the Fenway Faithful was a little ugly me thinks. Paps was great for the Red Sox, good to fans and always entertaining. It's not like he was made an offer by Sox ownership and walked away à la Johnny Damon. The boo's may have even fired him up a little. #backfired
Alright Red Sox Lifers, don't be mad, but I'm going to say it: This may be the ugliest Red Sox team ever assembled. I don't mean on the field. I mean they are just ugly. We have a Pig-Pen (Pedroia), a Hacksaw (Napoli), a Side-show Bob (Saltalamacchia), a Walking Dead extra (Buchholz) and a whatever Jonny Gomes is. GQ will not be paying a visit to Fenway anytime soon. And I kind of like it that way.
Questions and comments encouraged below. Follow The Guru on Twitter @TheGuruGS
More musings from The Guru.
