After each series, we'll be taking stock in each player's...and maybe manager's...performance. If we like what we see, we're buyin'. If we don't, we're sellin'. Or maybe we'll just hold onto our stock until we see more next series.
Fenway Grounds Crew: No one worked as hard as these guys did on Saturday (although Moscoso was laboring pretty hard on the mound for the A's). I have no idea if these guys are the best in the business (surely there's a stat out there somewhere to gauge these things), but Sox Nation is lucky to have them. Also, honorable mention to the thousands of fans that stuck around through all the delays during two less-than stellar games.
Jon Lester: Another start, another 6 innings of 1 run 3 hit ball. Yes, those starts came against KC and the A's, and yes, his strikeouts are down (only 7 over those 12 innings), but Lester's job is to put his team in a position to win. He's doing that and more.
David Ortiz: Big Papi swung a mighty bat against those Athletics. 8 hits in his 12 at-bats. 3 doubles, 2 home runs, 5 RBIs (at least one each game), with only one strike out. Clearly this is a man that wants a new contract. And, well, deserves one.
Josh Reddick: And Reddick's decline at the plate continues. 1-7 in the series, with that one hit being a pinch-hit RBI double. So, that's something. He also drew a walk and scored a run during Saturday's day game. That's about all the nice things we can say about Josh right now. That, and the fact that his competition in right, Darnell McDonald, has an 18 ERA on the year.
Tim Wakefield: Poor Tim Wakefield. He should've had win #200 about 17 times now by my count, but the Sox keep finding ways to snatch it away from him. This time, the blame lies solely on Wake's shoulders. 4 IP pitched, tagged for 8 runs (although only 4 were earned), surrendered 8 hits, gave up 2 home runs, and just generally wasn't fooling anybody with the knuckler.
Erik Bedard: Thanks to the hour-long rain delay, we didn't get to get a complete look at Bedard. But what we did see what promising: 4 IP, 0 Runs, 2 Hits and 5 K's. And yes, 4 walks. Earlier in the week Gammons said that Bedard was turning a corner. Not that we'd ever dare doubt him, but he might be right.
Gonzo: To say he cooled a bit from the Texas series would be quite the understatement. We didn't expect a repeat performance, but we also didn't expect him to go 3-13 with 1 extra-base hit (a wall-scraper double) and one RBI. Probably just keeping a little bit in the tank for the Yankees series. That must be it.
Scott Atchison: He was called up to help ease the burden of having to play 3 games in a day and a half, and he did that and more. Relieving Wake in the 5th, he pitched 3 strong innings - allowing 1 run and 3 hits. Atchison, who was one of the lone bright spots in last season's bullpen, has pretty much been shafted all season long with the Sox. While I don't expect the Sox to 'hold' him at the majors much longer, I just wanted to give him a little recognition before he fades back to obscurity.
