Tuesday, June 24, 2008

More Lethargy

Josh Beckett pitched another terrific game at Fenway Park last night, and it was a great pitchers duel with Dan Haren of the Diamondbacks. It was scoreless until the seventh, when Arizona scored their two runs.

The Red Sox got only one hit through the first six innings, a double by Jason Varitek. They got their only run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by J.D. Drew with the bases loaded. But that's all the Red Sox could muster in a rather listless 2-1 loss. Take nothing away from Haren, who was terrific in seven shutout innings, and continues to be one of MLB's best pitchers.

The Red Sox just look rather sluggish and lethargic at the plate over the last few games. Jacoby Ellsbury is struggling at the plate, and hopefully once he gets going it will jump start the offense once again.

The Sox lost Kevin Youkilis before the fifth inning started to a fluke injury. A ball thrown in the warmups before the inning by Mike Lowell bounced strangely and hit Youk in the right eye. His eye immediately began to swell. He wanted to stay in the game, but he left to get precautionary tests taken, which turned out to be negative. The Sox put Brandon Moss at first, as Sean Casey dropped his appeal of the suspension from the fight he was in with the Rays earlier this month and will sit the next two games.

The word on Curt Schilling's operation was better than expected. The damage in his right shoulder was not as bad as first feared and the doctors believe he could possibly be throwing off a mound by January. I would bet money right now Schilling will give it one last shot next spring training.

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