Ted's Army: The Voice of Red Sox fans

Your Morning Dump...where Ellsbury is still the most important decision

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.

Depending on how you value Ellsbury, there are two ways to view this option. One, the Red Sox should trade him now before his stock drops further as his MVP-caliber season goes farther into the rear-view mirror. Two, they should keep him and let him rebuild value in the first half rather than sell low following the disappointing year he just had. It’s worth noting that if Ellsbury is traded at the deadline, his new team wouldn’t be able to recoup draft pick compensation if he signs elsewhere. That will factor into trade talks.

Determining a proper return given the last few years is very tough. Is this a situation like Matt Holliday, who was a legit star when he was traded from the Rockies to the Athletics? Is he the inconsistent Melky Cabrera going from the Royals to the Giants? Is he worth more in a deal than Shin-Soo Choo? The Red Sox have a number of holes on the big league roster and could fill one or two (or three?) by moving Ellsbury this winter. There’s no shortage of teams in need of a center fielder, especially one who has demonstrated the ability to be an impact player.

Fangraphs | Jacoby Ellsbury's three outcomes

Mike Axisa covers the Red Sox' options with Jacoby Ellsbury (much like I did here a few weeks back) and essentially concludes that the team should either sign him long term or trade him. He doesn't come out and say it, but if you read the piece it sounds like he most advocates trading Jacoby.

It all comes down to -- like with virtually any roster move -- what people are willing to pay. If you can find anyone to compensate you for a near-MVP-level performance, I think you have to do it. If the wider market sees him as inferior to Shin-Soo Choo, then we have issues.

Probably the Sox' best move is to lay low and deny they want to trade him (check), and monitor the BJ Upton market carefully. Let's say the Nationals (as widely suspected) court Upton pretty significantly, but at the last second the Yankees swoop in and give him $90 million. Next day, Ben should call up the Nationals and see what they'd part with to get Ellsbury, and maybe their willingness to fill that role will result in a better package coming Boston's way.

Herald | AL East breakdown: Tampa Bay Rays at start line | Globe | No wonder the Red Sox love Mike Napoli | CSNNE | Wakeup call: Crawford may be ready for Opening Day | ESPNBoston | Source: Red Sox taking hard look at Napoli

Bryce Harper calls out idiot reporter

 

"That's a clown question, bro."

Get comfy with that response, because you're about to hear it a whooooole lot over the next three or four days (the usual lifespan of such things).

If you're too lazy to watch the embedded video, that's how 19 year old National's slugger Bryce Harper responded to a question from a reporter asking him what his favorite beer is.  Easily one of the laziest "gotcha" questions in the history of journalism (and one that may have worked, had what I'm assuming is a Nats PR guy, not interceded before Bryce could respond). 

"Hey, Bryce.  Mudering hobos is legal in West Eastonia.  I know you just spent two weeks there.  How many hobo heads now hang above your mantle?" 

There's no good way to answer these types of questions, which is why they're asked.  Their responses nearly always end up being "news".  So I not only tip my cap to the quick-thinking PR rep, but also Harper. 

He was handed lemons, and he turned them into this week's soon-to-be most overused catchphrase.

h/t to TheScore.com for the video

Recap: Dice-K returns, Sox lose

Secret to Dice-K's success? Replacing the gyroball with the disco-Stu.  (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

Matsuzaka's triumphant return to Boston was foiled by the anemic bats of the Red Sox, who lost 4-2 this afternoon to the Nationals.

Dice-K looked darn good in his first major league start since undergoing Tommy John surgery, but was on a bit of a short leash, getting pulled after 5.  Granted, seeing him getting yanked in the 5th isn't anything new.  But watching Dice-K getting yanked in the 5th after only 80 pitches? Quite an accomplishment.  Even more impressive, he tallied 8 K's and only walked a single batter and gave up just 5 hits.  On the negative side, all 4 of the Nationals runs were attributed to Matsuzaka.  But if the low walk total, low-ish pitch count and high strikeouts are any indication of how Dice is going to pitch the rest of the way, we may just have a chance.

This was also the second consecutive game where Sox batters struggled against a good Washington starter.  Gio Gonzalez held Boston to two runs and three hits over 6 1/3 innings with their bullpen only allowing two more hits the rest of the way.

The Red Sox only runs came in the 7th, on a pinch hit 2-run single by Saltalamacchia.  Other than that, Ortiz and Sweeney doubled, and Pedroia and Aviles singled.  That was your Sox offense for the afternoon.  On the flip side, the Sox bullpen had another strong outing.  Morales and Aceves tag-teamed the final 4 frames (3 for Morales, 1 for Alfredo), neither allowing a hit. 

At some point, the Sox will put runs on the board. 

BOX SCORE

Your Morning Dump... Where it was the Strasburg and Harper show

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

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.

Thank you, Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg.

It’s rare enough to walk into a ballpark one afternoon in any month of a long baseball season and be genuinely amped about being able to finally lay eyes on not just the one, but two of the best and brightest young talents in the entire game.

In their Fenway Park debuts, Harper and Strasburg gave everyone — the 37,309 fans, the beer and hot-dog vendors, the announcers, the scribes, the grounds crew, the ticket-takers, security crew, the clubbies, the players, coaches and owners — a performance right out of some fantasy league’s playbook.

Strasburg: 13 strikeouts — including a stretch of five in a row, seven of eight, eight of 10 — and then battling out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in his final inning with his last two strikeouts.

Harper: A laser-beam home run 420 feet to dead center and seats in the back of the triangle, a double and a single, one great running catch and two opportunities to show off his cannon arm.

Herald - Two National treasures

Leading up to last night's game, fans were stoked to see these two guys take the field.  When the storm clouds started forming, fears of a rainout sent panic through Sox Nation (at least in the world of Twitter).  But fans were not denied their potentially only chance to see these two play baseball in person.

I pretty much hate Interleague play, even though the Sox (and virtually all other AL Teams) generally fair very well against their NL counterparts.  It just feels like an unnatural sideshow and distraction in the middle of the season.  We need to worry about how we're going to handle Ortiz.  If we have to throw one of our corner infielders into the outfield (which isn't just an interleague problem this season).  Have to watch our pitchers step up to the plate and deal with all the awful consequence that brings.  We have to hear the term "Subway Series" spewed at least 12,000 times.

But without interleague play, Sox fans don't get to see these two guys play baseball.  At least not without trekking to some other ballpark in some other state.  Or, cross their fingers and hope fate has these two teams squaring up in a World Series (and that Strasburg's arm is still intact by then, and that the Karma Gods haven't smited Harper into oblivion).   As last night proved, I guess there is a point to all of this.

But as I stated in last night's recap, we got to face Papelbon and the Paris Phillies, and now we got to see the two phenoms do what phenoms do.  Interleague play has served its purpose.  Can we go back to losing to the Orioles now?

On Page 2, Guess whooooooo's baaaa-aaaaack!

Recap: Strasburg dominated Sox

Just as the Celtics had no way to counter LeBron James yesterday, the Red Sox were at the mercy of Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg.  LIke LeBron, Strasburg showed no mercy leading Washington to a 7-4 victory.

Knowing that this may be the only time in Strasburg's career that Boston fans would get to see him take the mound, fans wanted a show.  They were not disappointed.  Strasburg only lasted 6 innings, but he struck out 13 batters.  If my calculations are correct, that's more than 2 per inning.  Insane.  His 6th and final inning was a little rough (even though he was still clocking high 90's well into his 115th pitch).  He gave up 2 of his 4 hits allowed in the frame, had the bases loaded but struck out Salty and then Youk to end the inning.  Youk went down looking at a pitch that looked low (it was later proved to be in the zone thanks to computers), and got ejected arguing the call. 

Felix Doubront, the Sox starter for the evening, was not very Strasburg-like.  He only lasted 4 innings, getting tagged for 8 hits and 6 runs (he did have 6 Ks).  Albers, Hill, Atchison and Miller pitched the rest of the way, only allowing a single run (Albers) and 3 hits between them. 

Once the Sox batters were able to get Strasburg off the mound, they did manage to make it interesting.  Adrian Gonzalez hit a solo shot to center in the 8th (he was 2-5 on the night) to bring the Sox within 4.  Then, in the 9th, Nava doubled off the wall to drive Punto home.  The next batter, Pedroia flied out to right (the ball looked good off the bat but just hung), then Gonzo flied out to left. Ballgame.

Other notables:  Aviles has a 2 RBI double off of Strasburg (the only runs he allowed).  Middlebrooks got a hit after replacing the ejected Youkilis.  Sweeney and Pedroia each hit a single. 

Now that we've faced the Paris Phillies and got a front row seat to the Strasburg show, can Interleague Play be over now?

BOX SCORE

How we see it goin' down: Nationals - Red Sox series

First Pitch: Friday 7:10, Saturday 4:05, Sunday 1:35

Arms: Friday: Stephen Strasburg, RHP (6-1 2.35 ERA) vs. Felix Doubront, LHP (6-2, 3.75 ERA)

Saturday: Gio Gonzalez, LHP (7-2, 2.31 ERA) vs. Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHP (0-0, -.-- ERA)

Sunday: Jordan Zimmermann, RHP (3-5, 2.82 ERA) vs. Jon Lester, RHP (3-4, 4.64 ERA)

                                   Yard: Fenway Park   Watch it: NESN  Hear it:  WEEI

The Matchup

Record: 32-23 (1st NL East)	Record: 29-28 (Last AL East)
On road: 14-13	At home: 14-16
Streak: Lost 1	Streak: Won 1
Leaders at the plate	Leaders at the plate
Average: Lombardozzi (.289)	Average: Podsednik (.387)
Homers: LaRoche (9)	Homers: Ortiz (13)
RBI: LaRoche (39)	RBI: Ortiz (37)
Leaders on the mound	Leaders on the mound
Wins: Gonzalez, G (7)	Wins: Buchholz/Doubront (6)
ERA: Gonzaelz, G (2.31) | Burnett (1.00)	ERA: Doubront (3.75) | Atchison (1.42)
K's: Gonzalez, G (84)	K's: Doubront (66)

Last time

This will be the first meeting between the Sox and Nats since June 23-25, 2009 in Washington. The Red Sox won the first two meetings before the Nationals salvaged game 3. How about this blast from the past...Jason Bay was one of the Sox' top performers in the series and John Smoltz appeared in a game for the Sox during a very brief stay with the club.

This time

Laser Show: Jarrod Saltalamacchia

Salty has been on a bit of a hot streak and I'm betting on him carrying it out through the Washington series and hopefully beyond. He has been clutch, more recently with the 9th inning home run off of the virtually un-hittable, Jim Johnson, to bring game 1 into extras. He is very comfortable at the plate and is swinging a very good bat.

Pitch Around: Adam LaRoche

This is not a very good offensive team and Adam LaRoche is not a huge offensive threat. He could cause some problems, but I am not worried about him. This offense has only scored 209 runs, the fewest among first place teams in the majors. I am more worried about Washington's pitching.

Don't Fall Behind: All 3 starters

Are you kidding? The highest ERA among the 3 starters in this series is 2.82. Strasburg and Gonzalez have the records to back up their performances, where Zimmerman has not been as fortunate with the run support. All Washington needs to do is scored a few runs and the pitching staff will not let the Sox back in the game. Rattle the starters just a little bit and the Sox starters should have an easier time with the Nationals' offense.

How we see it goin' down

The Red Sox are coming off of a great game against the O's, but they are heading into a series with some fierce pitching. I don't feel good about this series and believe Washington has the upper hand in at least 2 games in the series. The Nationals will take the first 2 and the Sox will salvage the final game.