August 9,
2007 ...
No game scheduled ... J.D. Drew, playing center for the first time
since 2005, made a throwing error on the first ball hit to him
Wednesday but otherwise looked right at home, leaving little doubt
that he could be a plausible option any time Francona chooses to give
Coco Crisp a breather. His highlight play was outrunning Chone
Figgins' drive toward the gap in left-center, making a catch on the
warning track.
David Ortiz,
who did not play Wednesday and is iffy here for tomorrow's opener against the
Orioles because of recurring inflammation in his left shoulder, has 19 home
runs, tied with Manny Ramirez for the club lead.
Injured on a
headfirst slide into second base July 20 against the White Sox, Ortiz needs 11
homers in the last 48 games to reach 30, hardly a lock, given the nagging
condition of his shoulder coupled with a right knee that may require surgery
after the season for a meniscus cartilage tear.
Ortiz is
hitting for average - .319 - and his OPS (combined on-base and slugging
percentage) of .991 ranks second in the American League, behind only Alex
Rodriguez of the Yankees (1.025). But for those who wonder if some of the magic
has left Ortiz's bat, he has given them cause.
Consider
this: Baseball-reference.com tracks a stat called "Close and Late," which
measures a hitter's performance under the following conditions: The game is in
the seventh inning or later, and a team is tied, ahead by one, or the tying run
is at least on deck. In 2006, in close and late situations, Ortiz led the majors
with 11 home runs, one more than Albert Pujols of the Cardinals. He was second
in RBIs to Atlanta's Jeff Francouer, 33 to 29. In 2005, Ortiz also led the
majors with 11 homers and was first in RBIs with 33. Half a page in the media
guide is devoted to Ortiz's walkoff hits with the Sox: 15, including two epic
home runs in the 2004 postseason.
There have
been no new entries this season. In close and late situations, Ortiz has no home
runs and three RBIs. Rookie Dustin Pedroia, who hit a tiebreaking home run in
the seventh inning of Wednesday's 9-6 win over the Angels, has two home runs in
close and late situations. And Ortiz can hardly look to Ramirez to pick him up
in those situations: Ramirez has two home runs, but is 8 for 50 (.160), .100
less than Ortiz. Pedroia has the highest average on the team in close and late
situations, .372, with Jason Varitek just behind at .367. Four players,
including Varitek, have knocked in as many as eight runs.
Brandon
Moss's big league adventure ended, for the time being, when he was optioned back
to Pawtucket. Moss squeezed in plenty while he was here. There was a perilous
debut Monday night after Manny Ramirez was ejected. Moss entered in midgame and
lost a ball in the lights in left field, then struck out while batting in
Ramirez's cleanup spot with the tying runs on base for the final out. There was
a cameo appearance as a defensive replacement Tuesday, and finally, his first
big league start Wednesday, which he capped by delivering a single that helped
the Red Sox score two insurance runs in their 9-6 win over the Angels, which
enabled them to avoid a three-game sweep.
