After every series, we'll take stock of how each individual and group performance affects their overall value.
At the plate
Jacoby Ellsbury: One hit? really? The Sox really need him to spark the offense early
Dustin Pedroia: Pedey was explosive in the first two games. I'm going to write off game 3.
David Ortiz: Big Papi looked good in game 1 but lost it after that. I still like his mechanics at the plate and think he is going to pick it up at Fenway.
Adrian Gonzalez: It will take a lot to get a red arrow next to Gonzo's name. Just like Ortiz, he will pick it up at Fenway and forget about his 1-for-10 in Toronto.
Kevin Youkilis: Even though he recorded his first and lone 2 hits on the season, it is not enough to increase his value. Youk has to come up big in Boston to prove he hasn't lost a step.
Cody Ross: Cody recorded a hit in every game, but I am have yet to be impressed with his performance. 3 K's in game 2 did not help his cause.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia: Another O-fer performance to piss me off. He is frustrating to watch at the plate.
Mike Aviles: Aside from the final game of the Tigers series, Aviles has done nothing. We don't expect much from him, but a little more production would be nice.
Ryan Sweeney: How could you not be happy with Ryan Sweeney? Sweeney went 3-for-7 in the series and is batting .444 on the young season. He has already exceeded my expectations.
Starting pitching
I mostly liked what I saw from the starters in the series. Doubront looked good, Bard's performance was in-line with expectations, and Lester pitched well. These guys just didn't get any run support to help their cause.
Bullpen
Aceves finally got his save and the rest of the pen settled down a bit after the Tigers series. They still have a lot to work on and need a huge boost in confidence.
Managing
Valentine is still unsure of the bullpen and what decisions to make. There is nothing that we can pin on him from these losses. Most of the blame should be put on the offense in that series.
