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Connecticut Sports - Pro, College, High School News from The Hartford Courant - BOSTON REDSOX
KANSAS CITY, Mo. --
Kyle Snyder, Jason Johnson, Javier Lopez and Bryan Corey are among a list of players Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein has acquired in the past six weeks.
Not exactly the Orlando Cabrera, Dave Roberts, Doug Mientkiewicz and Mike Myers moves of the summer of '04.
This season, Snyder (Royals) and Johnson (Indians) were designated for assignment, and Lopez was a minor league pitcher in the White Sox system. Corey came over in a trade with the Rangers July 30. Six days later, the Red Sox designated him for assignment.
So as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approached, it was obvious the Red Sox needed help. It was only natural for players to think some was on the way.
Enamored with his young pitchers, Epstein refused to trade any of them at the deadline. He was forced to make a trade last week when the team learned that catcher Jason Varitek needed surgery on his left knee that would probably sideline him four to six weeks. The team acquired veteran catcher Javy Lopez from the Orioles.
It was no secret the Red Sox needed to add a dependable starter to bolster the rotation. That's why Epstein talked to Houston about Roy Oswalt as well as other teams, hoping to acquire a pitcher who could eat up innings to spell the bullpen and spare Mike Timlin's 40-year-old right arm.
A reliable setup reliever would have been welcome in the pen, allowing manager Terry Francona an option to relieve his dependency on rookies Manny Delcarmen and Craig Hansen, neither of whom has previously pitched in a playoff race.
The lineup could have used another bat. A potent hitter in the No.5 spot could have made it so the Red Sox wouldn't have to rely on David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez to produce every game. The best three-four punch in baseball has combined to hit 71 homers, which is nearly half of the team's total (144).
Now more than a week since the trade deadline has passed, the Red Sox's needs have become more pressing. There's no guarantee that Keith Foulke's creaky knees and cranky back will hold up. Or that injury-prone Trot Nixon won't aggravate his biceps. Or that Tim Wakefield's cracked rib and Varitek's surgically repaired knee will be healed.
The Red Sox are 12-12 since the All-Star break. They haven't played well at home, either. The A's came into Fenway Park and took three of four. The Angels won two of three, pounding Curt Schilling in the rubber game of the series. Even the Indians managed to split a four-game series last week in Boston.
August doesn't figure to be an easy month with two off-days and 30 games in 31 days. The Red Sox didn't make it any easier by losing two of three to the Devil Rays over the weekend.
About the only encouraging news is that the worst team in baseball awaits. A three-game series against the Royals starts tonight. The Orioles, another team going nowhere, visit Fenway this weekend. So there's an opportunity for the Red Sox to win back-to-back series.
The rest of the month is considerably more challenging. The Red Sox face the Tigers, Yankees, Angels and A's in the next three weeks. That tough stretch of games includes the Aug. 18 doubleheader against the Yankees, who will be in Boston for a five-game series.
"The Yankees are hot. They're going to get cold," Kevin Youkilis said Sunday. "Every team gets hot and then gets cold. That's how it works. They're not going to win every game out. They're going to have to cool down at one point. Hopefully it's when they play us that week."
Jonathan Papelbon said there's no concern the Yankees might pull away in the division.
"We should be there," Papelbon said. "Whether we win the American League [East] or get there with the wild card, we should be there. No doubt about it."
There is uncertainty how the pitching staff will perform with Varitek out. In his six-game absence, pitchers have a 4.89 ERA and the team is 2-4.
Opposing batters have been teeing off on Timlin, who has been inconsistent since coming off the disabled list June 18. Normally reliable, he has been anything but in recent weeks. He has allowed runs in six of his past 14 appearances. He has a 6.92 ERA in that stretch.
"There's nothing different now. I might be missing my spots by a baseball size maybe, and that makes a big difference," Timlin said. "I've got good movement. I've got pretty good location. It just seems when I do miss they're hitting it right now. I throw a lot of strikes, so the guys aren't defensive. They know I'm going to be around the zone. Maybe I should be out of the zone a little bit more."
Ortiz Earns Player Of Week
Ortiz was named American League co-player of the week, sharing the honor with Indians DH Travis Hafner. Ortiz hit .370 (10-for-27) with five homers and eight RBI. ... Schilling is one of six finalists for the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award. Jim Thome (White Sox), Magglio Ordonez (Tigers), Corey Patterson (Orioles), Frank Thomas (A's) and Rafael Soriano (Mariners) are the other AL finalists. ... Probable starters for the Royals series: Jon Lester (5-1, 3.59 ERA) vs. Luke Hudson (4-3, 4.67) tonight; Josh Beckett (13-6, 5.00) vs. Jorge De La Rosa (3-3, 8.60) Wednesday; Schilling (14-4, 3.78) vs. Mark Redman (7-6, 5.38) Thursday.
Contact David Heuschkel at dheuschkel@courant.com.
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