Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia reinjured his right thumb and was removed from Tuesday night's game after his last at-bat in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Pedroia was not available to speak with reporters after Boston's 7-5 win over the Miami Marlins, and Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said it's too early for a complete update.
"He was more fearful than he was injured," Valentine said. "He thought it might have been a recurrence. We'll see how he is tomorrow."
ESPNBoston | Dustin Pedroia reinjures thumb
All you can do is wait in this situation. Well, wait or speculate and panic. (I'll do the latter.)
Is it hyperbole to say this is the one injury from which the Red Sox simply can't recover? Adrian Gonzalez is the more talented player, but having a down year. Jon Lester should be our ace, but can't put it together this year. Middlebrooks is obviously still green...and would at least resolve a positional logjam.
I'd keep playing this game but everyone else good on the team is already hurt.
As Bobby says, we'll see how it is today. But this kind of has reaggravated injury written all over it. How can you not reinjure a thumb when you play baseball? Watch the video here (MLB.com doesn't allow embedding of videos): It's not like it was a particularly egregious action. He swung the bat and it splintered and now his thumb doesn't feel good. It doesn't look that bad, but if something as innocuous as a pitch inside can potentially cause damage, it probably isn't a good long-term sign for Dustin's season.
On page 2, Clay Buchholz gets a win after facing the Marlins twice in a week.
"It's tough to win against a team that you pitched against in your last start," said Buchholz after Tuesday night's game. "It's sort of a mind game, I guess you could be playing with yourself or get in your own head a little bit, as far as, what you did the last time against them in the last game, and how you thought they'd prepare for you."
Those mind games led Buchholz to allow five runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out three in six innings. It wasn't quite the same Buchholz who had been downright dominant in his previous three outings, that's for sure. But fortunately for him, the Red Sox offense put up seven runs in six innings, to help Boston to a 7-5 win, and help Buchholz earn his team-leading eighth win of the season.
"It's interesting that Clay didn't have his great stuff tonight, and the offense seemed to sense it," said manager Bobby Valentine. "They were going to do what they had to do to get us enough runs.
CSNNE | Buchholz loses mental battle, but earns eighth win
Does anyone know what to make of Clay Buchholz? He's 8-2...but with a 5.53 ERA. He has a 1.54 WHIP and leads the league with eight hit batters. His xFIP of 4.65 suggests he's pitched better than that, but still not enough to match his record.
Clay just appears to be the lucky guy to get run support this year. We've seen it in the past with Tim Wakefield or Josh Beckett, where a pitcher seemingly randomly gets a lot of runs from the Sox each time out there.
Lucky Clay.
ESPNBoston | Red Sox stay on roll behind David Ortiz, Clay Buchholz | David Ortiz defends clubhouse | Ross gives Kalish pick-me-up | Sox activate Ross, put Podsednik on DL | Josh Beckett addresses hurt right shoulder | Ellsbury, Crawford getting closer to return | Herald | Red Sox open homestand with win | Clubhouse not toxic, but will be if Sox continue to stumble | Ryan Kalish takes lumps, still has 'fun' night | Sore Dustin Pedroia exits early | Globe | Fenway perk | Beckett gets positive report | Thumbs down on Pedroia | CSNNE | Beckett glad he was 'overruled' and placed on DL | Kalish stumbles in return to Fenway | Pedroia appears to reinjure thumb, leaves game
