The latest pyrotechnics show was a 5-4 walk-off win for Boston in the bottom of the ninth over the Dodgers that was modest by Boston’s new standards, but still saw the Olde Towne team collect 10 hits and pound out two home runs while knocking the ageless Vicente Padilla out of the game after 5 1/3 innings.
Those same Red Sox players besieged with questions about how they could possibly survive with a pop-gun offense this spring now have a few answers for their inquisitors.
Dustin Pedroia collected the first walk-off hit of his career in Saturday’s victory, and helpfully provided some answers about his team’s offense. Some were fit for print – or cyberspace – and some were not.
“We’ve scored the most runs of any team in baseball,” said Pedroia. “[You can take] those articles you guys wrote in spring training and shove them up your ass.
CSNNE - Sox hitters have shut up the critics (scroll to 3:00 in video for "shove it" quote)
Ozzie Guillen aside, is there a better quote in baseball than Dustin Pedroia?
Offensively, the Red Sox lead MLB in runs, hits, doubles, total bases, RBIs, slugging percentage, and batting average. They are second in homers and OBP.
At 42-28, the Red Sox hold the second best record in baseball and sit one game behind the Yankees and Rays in the AL East.
If someone told you at the start of the season that Darnell McDonald and Daniel Nava would be prominent members of the outfield, you’d likely say in your most polite tone, “Don’t think so.’’
If you were told Josh Beckett would have been a nonfactor and that Daisuke Matsuzaka would be on the DL twice, but that the Red Sox would have one of baseball’s best pitching staffs (OK, they’re 20th overall, but the starters are 13-3 with a 3.26 ERA in 19 games since May 29), you probably wouldn’t buy that either.
Globe - Making the numbers work
If the Sox are going to continue their solid play, they will need guys to get healthy. We can't expect guys like Nava and McDonald to make plays in September when more is at stake.
On Page 2, why Daniel Bard is glad to have Dustin Richardson around.
The cooler is packed with stuff the pitchers need that probably wouldn't make sense like fingernail clippers, super glue for if you get a blister, medical supplies, various ointments. Stuff you might need during the course of a game that we don't want to run into the clubhouse for. That and some snacks, granola bars, trail mix, Red Bull, anything you might need over the course of a game. I happily hand those duties over to Dustin.
The rest of the links:
Globe - Outfield getting tough to cover | V-Mart caught up to usual standards | Manny gets back into swing | Herald - JD hoping to avoid DL | Cameron obeys speed limits | Sox enjoy heroes who are off base | CSNNE - Nava still making presence felt | Hall survives misadventures in RF | WEEI - Sunday matchups | Pedey gave McDonald football flashback | ESPN Boston - Daisuke to start next week | Drew could be back Tuesday | Quick hits from 5-4 win
