A Red Sox Dynasty: 1995-????

[Moriarty9]

Seattle's Sheets smokes Sox
Ramirez, Granderson injure fingers
Monday, April 7, 2014

SEATTLE - Mariners ace Ben Sheets kicked off the 2014 season in style today as he dominated the Boston Red Sox lineup in a 9-1 win at home.
Sheets gave up one run on seven hits and no walks with nine strikeouts over nine innings to pick up the complete game victory. Three of Boston's seven hits, including a solo home run from DH Dustin Pedroia, came in the ninth inning. At one point during the game, Sheets had retired 14 straight Red Sox hitters.
"I had all of my pitches working today and was able to keep them off-balance," Sheets said. "They've got some good hitters so when you get a chance to hold those bats quiet, you've got to throw everything at them."
In addition to losing the ballgame, Boston also lost its leadoff hitter and starting shortstop to a dislocated finger. Hanley Ramirez dislocated his middle finger on his right hand, his throwing hand, while making a diving catch on a Curtis Granderson linedrive up the middle in Seattle's first at bat of the game.
"It certainly hurts to lose a player like Hanley three pitches into their first at bats of the season," Red Sox manager Kevin Kennedy said, noting that Ramirez would likely be placed on the 15-day disabled list. "We'll wait until morning, check him out, see how bad it is. Then we'll make a determination as to whether he'll be on the DL or just sit on the bench for several days."
Granderson also injured a finger later in the game, fracturing his left index finger while trying to break up a double play at second base. The Mariners have already announced that he will be placed on the disabled list, but have not indicated who will replace him on the roster.
Boston's rookie secondbaseman Frank Moore made his big league debut today and collected the first hit of his career in his first at bat, a leadoff single in the third inning.
"It's definitely a day I'll remember the rest of my life," Moore said. "We didn't get too many hits off the guy today and I was fortunate to get a 2-0 fastball that found a hole."
Roberto Perez, a lifelong Red Sox fan from Brewster, Mass., was the offensive star of the game for Seattle, going 3-for-4 with a solo home run in the sixth inning. Lee Aviles and Greg Holliday also hit solo home runs in the contest.
In other new today, Boston signed six free agents to minor league contracts. Southpaw Lenny DiNardo, 34, last appeared in the big leagues with the New York Mets in 2010 and owns a 21-17 record with nine saves and a 5.53 ERA in 272 relief appearances during his Mets career.
Infielder Waylon Sanders, 27, spent parts of three seasons with the Washington Nationals from 2010-2012, hitting .272 with two homers and 10 RBI over 180 at bats.
Old friend David Murphy returns to the fold after being released by the club in November. Murphy, 32, has spent his entire professional career in the Red Sox organization and is a lifetime .282 hitter with 14 homers and 97 RBI in 324 big league games with Boston.
Nate McLouth, 32, will join AAA Pawtucket after spending 23 games with the Oakland Athletics last year. In eight big league seasons with the A's, Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals, McLouth has hit .260 with 53 home runs and 251 RBI.
Outfielder Brian Anderson, who had just 827 at bats over 501 games over seven seasons with the Nationals, joins the organization as well. Anderson has hit .198 with 11 homers and 86 RBI in his big league career.
The Red Sox also signed a hometown product, Fernando Velazquez of Worcester, Mass. Velazquez, 28, is a left-handed outfielder who had been with the Chicago White Sox organization. In 20 big league at bats over the last three seasons, Velazquez has hit .400 with five RBI. He is regarded as a strong defensive outfielder and has excellent speed and baserunning skills.
Jacob Coleman, a 23-year-old outfielder with the Lowell Spinners, Boston's Class A affiliate, went 6-for-6 against the Tampa Yankees today. He had four singles, a double and a two-run home run, finishing the day with 10 total bases, two runs and two RBI for the Spinners.

[Moriarty9]

MLB NOTEBOOK
Wednesday, April 9, 2014

SEATTLE - Although the Boston Red Sox fell to 0-3 on the season as the Mariners completed a season-opening sweep, the big news in Boston was the contract extension signed by thirdbaseman Miguel Cabrera. The three-time MVP and nine-time All Star signed a three-year extension worth $75.4 million. Cabrera, 30, is a lifetime .333 hitter with 323 home runs and 1,321 RBI in 1,705 games - all but 148 of which have been with the Red Sox.
Cabrera, earning $23 million this year with the possibility of up to $600,000 in bonuses, was set to become a free agent at season's end if a contract extension had not been worked out.
The Red Sox will still have to make decisions on potential free agents such as Grady Sizemore, Roy Oswalt and Jonathan Papelbon.
Sizemore is rumored to be seeking a multi-year deal in the ballpark of $30 million annually. Oswalt, 36, is reportedly looking for $20 million contract while there has been little speculation as to what Papelbon would demand.

OAKLAND - Austin Kearns reached a milestone today when he hit the 300th home run of his career. The solo homer was hit off John Maine of the New York Yankees.
"I'm fortunate to be here," Kearns said. "The Athletics have a classy organization and some great fans. Homer #300 was for them."
Kearns, 33, has been with Oakland since being traded by the Florida Marlins in 2006. Of his 300 career home runs, 204 have come in an A's uniform, 52 in a Boston Red Sox uniform and 44 with the Marlins. He hit 41 home runs last season, easily eclipsing his previous career high of 31.

LOS ANGELES - Jude Wagner is off to a fine start on the season after putting together a three-home run performance against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium today.
"It was just one of those days," Wagner said. "I don't know how to explain it."
Wagner hit a two-run home run off Rockies starter Pepe Tueme in the first inning, a solo homer of Tueme in the third inning and a solo shot off reliever Kevin Hart in the seventh inning.

[Moriarty9]

Boston falls to 0-4 in 6-4 loss
Ledezma hit with loss in Red Sox debut
Friday, April 11, 2014

ANAHEIM - Although Wilfredo Ledezma was looking like an ace for the first five innings of tonight's game, the Boston southpaw crumbled in the sixth as the Red Sox lost to the Angels, 6-4.
Ledezma retired the first 10 batters he faced until Matt Holliday hit his first home run of the year to tie the game at 1-1. In the top of the fourth, the Red Sox took the lead with a Brian St. John RBI single that pushed Grady Sizemore across the plate. A Bill Hopkins solo homer in the sixth would give Boston a one-run lead once again, however the Angels would, once again, erase that lead in their half of the inning. The wheels suddenly came off for Ledezma after 5 1/3 strong innings of work when Domingo Medina and Holliday singled, putting the tying run on third base with one out. George Bascombe followed a sacrifice fly to score Medina before a Brian Daniels walks and Dan Murdoch single loaded the bases for Lupe Marquez. Marquez drew a walk, pushing Holliday across the plate, before Nick Punto drove in two runs with a single, making it 5-2 Angels. Holliday would double in an insurance run in the seventh.
The Red Sox did score single runs in the eighth and ninth innings to narrow the Angels' lead, but squandered a number of opportunities in their last five innings.
In the fifth inning, the team left two men in scoring position after Miguel Cabrera walked and Sizemore doubled. In the sixth inning, a Raul Mejia single was erased by an inning-ending double play. Cabrera hit a one out single in the seventh, only to be left at first base. In the eighth, the Red Sox loaded the bases with no out, forced in a run with a walk, before Nick Huggins and Matt Kemp struck out and Cabrera grounded out to end the threat. Boston again threatened in the ninth with bases loaded and one out as Hopkins pushed a run across with a sacrifice fly and Lou Farsey struck out to end the game.
Ledezma was hit with the loss, giving up five runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings of work. Casey Janssen picked up with win with two runs allowed on nine hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. Glen Perkins recorded his second save of the season, giving up one unearned run on two hits with two strikeouts in the ninth inning.

[Moriarty9]

A-Rod to retire at season's end
Hall of Fame debate to begin
Sunday, April 13, 2014

OAKLAND - After several weeks of rumors and unsubstantiated reports, Alex Rodriguez of the Minnesota Twins confirmed this morning that he plans to retire at the end of the season.
Rodriguez, 38, is in Oakland with the Twins for a four-game set and will return to Minneapolis on Monday for the club's home opener against the Detroit Tigers. A-Rod told reporters today he had wanted to wait until the club was in Minnesota to make the announcement but decided to come forward in hopes the speculation wouldn't be a distraction for his teammates. The reaction Rodriguez gets from his fans in Minnesota is likely to be dwarfed by the reaction he gets when he first steps into the batter's box at Safeco Field in Seattle in just less than two weeks. Rodriguez, in his 20th big league season, spent 18 years with the Mariners before joining the Twins as a free agent prior to last season.
In his 20 years in the Major Leagues, Rodriguez has hit .270 with 436 home runs and 1,386 RBI, and is Seattle's all-time leader in a number of catergories.
The two-time All Star and six-time Gold Glove winner hit .277 with two home runs and 14 RBI in just 94 at bats for the Twins last season and is hitless in seven at bats for Minnesota so far this year.

[texasrangers13]

Just wanted to say I just read through this, really like what you have going here. Kinda interesting to see AROD didn't ever really become the 800 HR man people thought he might become.

[Moriarty9]

Originally Posted by texasrangers13

Just wanted to say I just read through this, really like what you have going here. Kinda interesting to see AROD didn't ever really become the 800 HR man people thought he might become.

Thats one of my favorite things to see with this sort of thing, what various guys wound up doing with their careers.

If you, or anyone reading this for that matter, has any players whose careers they'd like to see, let me know.

[Moriarty9]

Kennedy hearing boos more often
Sox skipper targeted after slow start
Sunday, April 27, 2014

BOSTON - Red Sox manager Kevin Kennedy has grown accustomed to a certain type of relationship with the rabid fans at Fenway Park.
For years, he's been highly regarded as a future Hall of Fame manager that has guided the Red Sox to countless division titles, numerous pennants and a few World Series titles. After missing out on the playoffs in 2012 and being knocked out in the first round last year, a small part of Red Sox Nation began grumbling that maybe it was time for a change. Now, after a 2-14 start to the season, those grumblings have grown significantly.
"Listen, the guy has done a remarkable job with this club over the last 20 years but maybe the game has passed him by at this point," said local sports talk radio personality Glenn Ordway. "They missed the playoffs a couple years ago, didn't play like they deserved to be in the playoffs last year and they're awful this year. Not to use the old 'What have you done for me lately' line, but what has Kennedy done with this high payroll ballclub the last few years? Winning 90 games here, with this talent, just is not enough."
Ordway said he has been fielding more and more calls from listeners about Kennedy, who signed a one-year contract extension last season. Will he be offered a new contract when his current deal expires at season's end? Will he be in the Boston dugout come season's end?
Kennedy acknowledged he has heard more negatives from fans this year than ever before but said he remains optimistic about the ballclub.
"They should be upset and bothered by our start to the season. I know I sure as hell am. I know the players are too," Kennedy said. "It's a rough patch and we'll work through it. Maybe we'll go 14-2 over the next few weeks."
He added: "There are highs and lows to the season and we're in an awful low right now. We'll be fine in the end."
Asked about whether the front office or ownership has spoken to him about his future with the club, Kennedy said there have been no discussions as of yet but that he wouldn't expect there to be any talks even if the team started off well.
"I'm signed through the rest of the season. I enjoy it here and they know that. I'll be with the Boston Red Sox so long as the Boston Red Sox want me to be with them," Kennedy said.

[Moriarty9]

Ramirez tears leg ligament
Sox shortstop out for season
Wednesday, May 21, 2014

BOSTON - The uphill battle being fought by the Red Sox just became significantly more difficult as All Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez will miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his right leg last night.
Ramirez was running the bases when the injury occurred.
"I felt a sharp pain when it happened," he told members of the media this morning.
The 30-year-old three-time All Star had been hitting .271 with one home run, 13 RBI and 14 runs scored in 26 games. Ramirez hit .333 with 50 doubles, 14 triples, 15 home runs, 101 RBI, 148 runs scored and 28 stolen bases in 157 games last season. This is the first major injury of his career as he has only once in his career appeared in fewer than 139 games.
Pawtucket infielder Anthony Morris has been called up to take Ramirez' spot on the roster. Morris, 25, went 4-for-10 with a double, a run scored and two RBI in four games with Boston last September. He had been hitting .359 with 10 home runs and 33 RBI in 42 games with the PawSox this year.

[Moriarty9]

Ledezma dealt to Mets
Boston acquires 9-3 Gonzales
Sunday, June 29, 2014

BOSTON - The Red Sox and New York Mets agreed to a trade late last night and announced this morning in which the two clubs will swap starting pitchers.
The Mets, sitting 3 1/2 games behind the Washington Nationals, acquired lefty Wilfredo Ledezma while sending Aurelio Gonzales to Boston.
Ledezma, 33, was signed by the Red Sox in the offseason and has struggled to 4-7 with a 7.16 ERA in 14 starts. He had gone 9-7 with a 4.29 ERA in 23 starts with the San Francisco Giants last year and owns a lifetime 72-70 record with a 4.43 ERA.
There have been unsubstantiated reports that Ledezma may get the start in today's Mets game in Baltimore.
Gonzales, 25, is a southpaw that has surprised many in the National League with a 9-3 record and a 3.30 ERA in 15 starts with the Mets. He went 9-8 with a 4.83 ERA in 27 starts with New York last year and owns a 19-19 record with a 4.37 ERA in 67 career appearances, including 52 starts.
Boston manager Kevin Kennedy said that he hopes to have Gonzales in uniform and on the mound for tomorrow night's game at Fenway Park against the Washington Nationals.
"We think Gonzales is a pretty good young pitcher that will bring some fresh blood to the rotation," Kennedy said. "Regardless of how you look at it, the trade works for us. If we're going to compete for the playoffs, we need guys like him to step up and pitch the way he's pitched for the Mets. If we're not going to be in the race, we've got a young, talented pitcher going forward. It's certainly a win-win for us."

[Moriarty9]

Red Sox lock up St. John
Star catcher signs for five years
Sunday, July 6, 2014

BOSTON - The Red Sox have signed star catcher Brian St. John to a multi-year contract extension today.
St. John, 27, is making just $350,000 this season while putting up All Star numbers: a .337 average, 20 home runs and 65 RBI in 72 games. The extension, which will take effect next year, will pay $5 million in 2015, $5.35 in 2016, $6.95 million in 2017 and $7 million in 2018. There is a mutual option for the 2019 season worth $7.75 million as well as a $1 million bonus for winning the MVP award during any of those seasons.
"I'm really happy to be staying here with the Red Sox and cementing my place here," St. John said at a press conference held this afternoon. "They're taking care of me so I can do my part in trying to take care of the Red Sox."
St. John has less than two years MLB service time so the Red Sox could have waited a bit longer before making any contract offers to the catcher but opted instead to lock him up for the next five years.

[Moriarty9]

O's, Sox swap firstbasemen
Martinez to Baltimore for Mateo
Tuesday, July 29, 2014

With the trade deadline looming, the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles agreed to a five-player deal today.
The Orioles acquired firstbaseman Augusto Martinez, lefty reliever Terry Allen and minor league outfielder Raul Mejia from Boston in exchange for firstbaseman Jose Mateo and pitching prospect Dave Carlson.
Martinez, originally acquired by Boston in 2012, is hitting .264 with 18 home runs and 59 RBI in 94 games and has already struck out 105 times. The Red Sox had been quietly disappointed with Martinez' performance this season after hitting .326 with 26 homers and 107 RBI in 128 games as an American League All Star last year.
Allen has also been a bit of a disappointment as the 30-year-old southpaw has gone 3-1 with an 8.22 ERA in 38 1/3 innings of work in 26 games with Boston. Opponents are hitting .338 off Allen this year and he has been shuttled between Boston and AAA Pawtucket a couple times this year.
Mejia is a talented outfielder that stepped up last September and into October when Grady Sizemore was injured. Mejia, 27, hit .391 with a home run and eight RBI in 46 at bats with the Red Sox last year and then hit .474 with a home run and four RBI in 19 post-season at bats.
He made the club out of spring training this year but was demoted to Pawtucket after hitting .214 with one homer and six RBI in 40 games.
In return for the talent shipped out of Boston, the Red Sox get a strong power hitter in Mateo, 26. Mateo hit .325 with 32 home runs and 93 RBI in 99 games with Baltimore this year and hit .299 with 48 home runs and 156 RBI as a rookie last year. The Red Sox believe he will provide a lot more pop in the lineup and help the club as it continues its fight toward the playoffs.
Carlson, 28, has just 3 1/3 innings of big league experience under his belt - he made a relief appearance with the Orioles earlier this season - but Boston officials think he may be a decent fifth starter or long reliever.
Carlson has gone 12-7 with a 3.58 ERA in 22 starts with AAA Norfolk this year but did go 5-14 with a 6.01 ERA in 29 starts with the Tides last season. Inconsistency has plagued Carlson's minor league career, making him a bit of a wild card.

[Moriarty9]

Idle Sox now in first place tie
Blue Jays 7-2 loss erases half-game lead
Monday, August 4, 2014

BOSTON - Despite a 2-14 start to the season, the Red Sox are now in a tie with the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the American League East.
The Blue Jays lost to the Texas Rangers this afternoon, 7-2, eliminating their slim half-game lead over Boston in the standings. The Red Sox have today off.
"It's still early. It's only the beginning of August," Red Sox skipper Kevin Kennedy said. "I'm happy to be where we are considering the start we had, the injuries we've had, but we still have another eight weeks to go here."
Kennedy has calmed many of the panicking fans who earlier in the season were calling for his job as the team out together a 4-15 month of April. The team went 15-14 in May, an improvement on April but still not what the Red Sox are used to. The team went 14-14 in June before running off to an 18-7 month of July that has brought that right back into contention for the division. They are 2-1 so far this month and sit a percentage point ahead of the 55-53 Blue Jays at 53-51. Toronto has lost four straight and 18 of their last 30 games.
The Blue Jays and Red Sox will meet for a three-game set this weekend in Toronto and will renew their battle in Boston August 19-21.

[Moriarty9]

Morris' back injury ends career
Star thirdbaseman vows to comeback
Friday, August 29, 2014

ANAHEIM - Boston Red Sox thirdbaseman Anthony Morris broke down in tears at a press conference this morning after it was announced that his career was likely over as the result of a torn back muscle injury suffered during last night's game against the Angels.
Morris, 25, has been a key contributor in the Red Sox lineup, stepping up to the big leagues when shortstop Hanley Ramirez was lost for the season with an injury. In 85 games with Boston, this year, Morris has hit .321 with 22 home runs and 77 RBI. He had been batting sixth in the lineup since the acquisition of power-hitting firstbaseman Jose Mateo in late July.
After manager Kevin Kennedy announced the verdict of the team's medical staff and test results from a local hospital, Morris vowed to one day to find his way back into the game he loves.
"I refuse to believe my career is over. Not yet," Morris said. "I'm going to do everything I can to get back into a big league uniform and step back into the batters box someday."
Morris has already boarded a plane for Boston to undergo more tests there. It was unclear as to whether he would be in the team's dugout the rest of the season. He has been placed on the 60-day disabled list, clearing a spot on both the active and 40-man rosters, while the Red Sox await further test results.
"This is really a sad day for us," Kennedy said. "This kid has all the talent in the world and is such a big part of our lineup, a big part of why we've made it back into first place."
He later added: "I hope he can prove these doctors wrong and that he can someday be back on the field. Even if not as a player, I think the kid would make a fine coach or maybe even a manager someday down the road."
The Red Sox have recalled infielder Fernando Hernandez from AAA Pawtucket to take Morris' spot on the roster. Hernandez, 24, hit .278 with one home run and nine RBI in 54 at bats with Bostone arlier this season. He has hit .299 with 10 homers and 48 RBI with the PawSox this year.

[Moriarty9]

End of season notes

• The Boston Red Sox (88-74) managed to overtake the Toronto Blue Jays (86-76) and win the American League East by just 2 games.
• The Chicago White Sox put together baseball's best record (103-59) to win the AL Central by 8 games.
• The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim finished at 101-61, good for a 21 game lead over the second place Texas Rangers (80-82).
• The Cleveland Indians (95-67) won the Wild Card, finishing 9 games ahead of the Blue Jays.
• The Washington Nationals had the best record in the National League (101-61), winning the East by 12 games.
• The 90-72 Cincinnati Reds edged out the 88-74 St. Louis Cardinals to win the NL Central by two games.
• The San Diego Padres (92-70) won the NL West with a 7 game lead over the San Francisco Giants.
• The New York Mets (89-73) won the Wild Card by a slim margin with the Cardinals 1 game back, the Giants 4 games back and the Houston Astros 6 games back.
• Baltimore Orioles catcher Joe Mauer hit a career high .382 to win his third batting title. He also hit 44 doubles, 22 home runs, 112 RBI and scored 114 runs
• New York Yankees firstbaseman Ryan Howard led all of baseball in on-base percentage (.476), slugging (.722), OPS (1.198) while leading the American League in walks (119). He finished the year at .359 with 59 home runs, 139 RBI and 116 runs in 162 games.
• Robinson Cano of the Cleveland Indians led the league in hits with 225. He also hit .329 with 60 doubles, 29 home runs and 119 RBI
• Boston Red Sox thirdbaseman Miguel Cabrera led the AL in doubles with 65. He also hit .348 with five triples, 34 home runs, 136 RBI and 129 runs scored.
• Kansas City Royals firstbaseman Stephen Dupree led the league in home runs with 62. Dupree hit .339 with 157 RBI and 114 runs scored.
• Angels outfielder George Bascombe led the AL runs (135), RBI (180) and extra-base hits (117). He hit .332 with 61 doubles, seven triples and 49 home runs.
• White Sox hurler Jo-Jo Reyes led the American League in wins (19) and home runs allowed per nine innings (0.10). Reyes went 19-5 with a 2.91 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 259 2/3 innings over 35 starts.
• Cleveland Indians closer Ross Detwiler led the league in saves with 42. He went 9-3 with a 0.66 ERA, striking out 98 in 68 1/3 innings, in 65 appearances out of the Tribe's bullpen.
• Jeff "Skip" Jackson of the Angels led the league in ERA with a low 2.59 ERA in 205 1/3 innings. Jackson went 16-5 with 200 strikeouts in 31 starts.
• Angels pitcher Forrest Jordan led the league in strikeouts with 244. Jordan went 17-10 with a 3.73 ERA in 34 starts.
• Franklin Morales of the Washington Nationals appears set to win his third straight NL Cy Young Award after leading the league in ERA, wins, innings pitched, hits per nine, home runs per nine, walks per nine, strikeouts, strikeouts per nine, strikeouts to walks ratio, opponents batting average, WHIP and baserunners per nine. Morales went 21-1 with a 1.66 ERA, 18 walks, 301 strikeouts and a .192 average against over 233 1/3 innings of work in 34 starts.
• Joakim Soria of the Cincinnati Reds led the league in saves with 45. The Reds closer went 2-5 with a 1.65 ERA in 65 games.
• Joe MacAree of the Houston Astros won his second batting title in three years with a .374 clip. MacAree hit 22 home runs and 88 RBI in 133 games.
• Former Boston Red Sox prospect Reynaldo Zuniga, of the Astros, led the NL in home runs (53), extra base hits (114) and total bases (442). Zuniga hit .341 with 145 RBI and 122 runs in 160 games.
• Lawrence Montgomery of the Pittsburgh Pirates led the NL in RBI with 157. The Bucs firstbaseman hit .355 with 54 doubles, 50 homers and 122 runs scored in 162 games.
• The Red Sox signed manager Kevin Kennedy to a two-year contract extension.

The Division Series matchups for 2014:

• Red Sox at White Sox
• Indians at Angels
• Mets at Padres
• Reds at Nationals

[Moriarty9]

White tops Red in Sox Series
Chicago wins ALDS Game 5
Monday, October 13, 2014

CHICAGO - The White Sox may have had the best record in baseball this year but that was nearly for not as the Boston Red Sox took them down to the wire in the best-of-five American league Division Series.
Chicago won Game 5 by a score of 9-6 to advance to the League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The winner of that series will move on to the World Series against either the New York Mets or Washington Nationals.


BOSTON ALDS DISAPPOINTMENTS:
Bryan Brake went 17-4 with a 3.22 ERA during the regular season but struggled mightily in the playoffs. Brake gave up 13 earned runs in 9 1/3 innings of work against the White Sox in the ALDS, going 0-1 with a 12.54 ERA.

Matt Kemp hit .320 with 21 home runs, 76 RBI and 95 runs in 140 games this year but went cold in the playoffs, hitting .130 (3-for-23) with two RBI and no runs scored.

Brian St. John had a spectacular season as the catcher hit .320 with 32 home runs and 112 RBI in1 45 games. That success didn't carry over into the playoffs, however, as St. John hit .211 (4-for-19) with one RBI.

Miguel Cabrera hit .348 with 65 doubles, 34 home runs, 136 RBI and 129 runs scored this season but just .222 (4-for-18) with two RBI and two runs scored.

[Moriarty9]

Playoff and Post-Season Notes

• The Chicago White Sox swept the Washington Nationals out of the World Series.
• The Boston Red Sox decided to void their option year on LHP Dontrelle Willis. Willis, 32, went 7-8 with a 5.50 ERA in 21 starts with the Red Sox and would have been owed $9 million next year if the option had been picked up. He later signed for $7.8 million with a mutual option for the 2016 season worth $9.3 million.
• Matt Kemp voided his option on the 2015 season, making him a free agent. Kemp hit .320 with 21 homers and 76 RBI for the Red Sox this year. Kemp, due just $3.5 million, signed instead a one-year deal worth $15 million with up to $1 million in incentives.
• The Red Sox and Johan Santana have agreed to a mutual contract option for 2015. Santana, 35, went 17-9 with a 4.73 ERA and 213 strikeouts in 32 starts. He will be paid $16 million next season with up to $500,000 more in bonuses.
• After nine seasons at the helm of the Kansas City Royals, Joe Kerrigan has been fired as manager. Kerrigan guided the Royals to a 73-89 record last season, finishing 30 games behind the Chicago White Sox. Kerrigan has had just two winning seasons during his time in Kansas City, including an 88-74 mark in 2013 to win the division title. He has since been hired as the pitching coach for the Washington Nationals.
• Bob Tewksbury, fired by the Twins after a 37-56 start to the season and then hired as manager of the Phillies, was fired by Philadelphia after leading the club to a 13-18 record in the final five weeks of the season. In nine seasons as a manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Twins and Phillies, Tewksbury has posted a 708-713 record and led the Pirates to a World Series title in 2008. He has since signed on to serve as the bench coach in Texas. Tewksbury has been replaced in Philadelphia by Tim Harris, who signed a one-year contract. Harris last managed the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011. In 10 seasons as a manager, five of which were with Toronto, Harris has posted a 656-840 record and made the playoffs once.
• Edgar Rodriguez, Tewksbury's replacement in Minnesota, was fired after leading the team to a 33-34 record for the final two-plus months of the season. It was his first big league managerial job.
• After one season at the helm of the Seattle Mariners, Ryan Simmons was let go as manager. Simmons led the M's to a 74-88 record, finishing fourth in the division. It was his first year as a big league skipper after 10 years managing in the minor leagues.
• After 11 years and seven playoff appearances, Kirk Gibson has been fired by the Texas Rangers. The Rangers failed to make the playoffs this year for the first time since 2009 by going 80-82, finishing second to the Angels. Gibson will spend next year as the bench coach for the Phillies. Mike Flanagan has replaced Gibson as Texas manager. Flanagan managed the Florida Marlins from 2000-2003 and the Detroit Tigers in 2003. He owns a 307-337 career record as a big league manager.
• Paul Molitor guided the Colorado Rockies to the worst record in baseball this year, 61-101, and was fired after six seasons at Coors Field. Molitor owns a 1,004-1,102 record over his 13 big league seasons as a manager with the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds and Rockies. The opening has been filled by Tony Pena. Pena, signed through the 2018 season, owns a 342-306 record as a big league skipper and last managed in 2006 with the San Diego Padres.
• Cipriano De La Cruz of the White Sox won the AL Rookie of the Year Award. He hit .302 with 37 homers and 121 RBI for the ChiSox.
• Mike Ryan of the San Diego Padres won the NL Rookie of the Year by hitting .341 with 24 homers and 93 RBI.
• Ross Detwiler, closer for the Indians, won the AL Cy Young Award. Detwiler went 9-3 with a league-leading 42 saves and a 0.66 ERA with 11 walks and 98 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings.
• Franklin Morales won his 3rd straight Cy Young by going 21-1 with a 1.66 ERA and 301 strikeouts.
• Ryan Howard of the Yankees won his fifth MVP award after hitting .359 with 59 home runs and 139 RBI in 162 games.
• Manuel Hernandez of the Nationals won the NL MVP after hitting .326 with 47 home runs and 126 RBI.

[Moriarty9]

With the regular season right around the corner, I thought it'd be interesting to take a look at the various coaches throughout the big leagues and minor leagues to see who is who and what they've done.

AKRON AEROS
BRIAN BOEHRINGER - Manager
Boehringer will start his first year coaching at any level by managing the Aeros in 2015. A big league reliever for 11 seasons with the Yankees, Pirates and Athletics, he will be joined by hitting coach Mackey Sasser and pitching coach Xavier Hernandez.

ALBUQUERQUE ISOTOPES (AAA)
PEPE ALCORTA - Manager
Alcorta joins the Marlins organization as manager of the Isotopes in 2015. He previously managed in Memphis, Toledo, Tacoma, Columbus and Louisville, putting together a career record of 907-1,026 in 15 seasons.

EDGAR MARTINEZ - Hitting Coach
Six-time All Star Edgar Martinez enters his third year as Isotopes batting instructor. The .297 career hitter with 274 home runs and 1,077 RBI in 19 seasons with the Mariners guided the Isotopes hitters to a .294 average in 2013 and .272 last season.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
TYRONE JENNINGS - Manager
Jennings is entering his ninth season as Diamondbacks manager with the hopes of finally posting a winning record in Arizona. The Dbacks are coming off a 79-83 season, the best they've had under Jennings' leadership. In his eight years with Arizona, the club has posted a 568-728 record and has never finished higher than fourth in the division. Prior to managing in Arizona, Jennings was at the helm of the Cincinnati Reds from 2004-2006, going 243-234 with the Reds.

MIKE HUFF - Hitting Coach
Huff, a former outfielder with the Dodgers, Indians, White Sox and Blue Jays, enters his second season as Arizona's hitting coach. The team hit .269 under his tutelage in 2014.

ARKANSAS BRAVES (A)
DEION SANDERS - Manager
"Neon" Deion enters his second season as Braves manager. The flashy outfielder went 63-57 as a rookie skipper last season, finishing second. Sanders spent 14 seasons in the big leagues as an outfielder with the Yankees, Braves, Reds, Pirates, Angels, Orioles and Mariners. He spent five seasons with Atlanta in two stints (1991-1994, 2001) and has returned to the Braves organization as a minor league manager.

KEVIN FLORA - Hitting Coach
A utility infielder that spent his career being shuttled between AAA and the Angels (Appeared in 27 games with the Angels in 1991, 1995-1998, 2001), Flora is now the hitting coach in Arkansas, entering his second season with the club. The team hit .255 last season.

ATLANTA BRAVES
CARLOS RIVERA - Manager
Rivera, in the final year of his three-year contract, may be on the hot seat after finishing 79-83 last season, 84-78 in 2013.
Prior to managing in Atlanta, Rivera was hired as interim Chicago White Sox manager in 2005 and kept the job fulltime from 2006-2010, leading the team to three playoff appearances.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES
BUCK SHOWALTER - Manager
Showalter enters the third year of his four-year contract as O's manager, looking to finally get the team over the hump by posting a winning record. The Orioles have gone 219-267 under his management.
Prior to coming to Baltimore, Showalter managed the New York Yankees (1995-1996), Toronto Blue Jays (2000-2001) and Washington Nationals (2003-2008). His only post-season appearances have been with the Nats in 2005 and 2006. He owns a career record of 955-980.

J.T. SNOW - Hitting Coach
A 14-year veteran firstbaseman with the Yankees, Angels, Tigers, Pirates, Cardinals and Mariners, Snow enters his first season as a minor league coach. The 47-year-old takes over for a team that hit .287 last season.

BOWIE BAYSOX (AA)
KARL HALL - Manager
Hall may not find a new contract offer at season's end if there isn't drastic improvement in Bowie. The Baysox have gone 284-386 since Hall took over in 2009.

BOSTON RED SOX
KEVIN KENNEDY - Manager
Kennedy has had a Hall of Fame career as BoSox manager, leading the club to a 2,011-1,220 record over 20 years as Boston skipper. During his time with the Red Sox, the team has won 16 division titles, two Wild Cards, several pennants and three World Series championships.

BUFFALO BISONS (AAA)
Fuller returns to Buffalo for a seventh season in hopes of winning his third championship with the club. The Bisons have gone 440-340 since his watch began in 2009, winning titles in 2010 and 2013.

CALGARY WHITE SOX (A)
MIKE JACKSON - Pitching Coach
Jackson makes his coaching debut this year after a number of years out of the game. Jackson pitched for the Phillies, Mariners, Giants, Royals and Twins over his 16 year career.

CHICAGO CUBS
PAUL MOLITOR - Manager
Having been fired by the Rockies after posting a MLB-worst 61-101 record, Molitor finds himself at the helm of the Cubs this year. Molitor managed the Rockies from 2009-2014 and had just one winning season (84-78 in 2009). He has also managed the Kansas City Royals (1997-2000) and Cincinnati Reds (2001-2003) and owns a career 1,004-1,102 record.
A seven-time All Star as a player, Molitor hit .308 with 201 home runs over his 18-year career with the Brewers, Blue Jays and Cardinals. All but three of his playing seasons were with Milwaukee.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX
MIKE OSBORNE - Manager
Osborne enters the final year on his contract and if he can do anything like he did last season, he'll have plenty of bargaining power. With four years at the helm of the White Sox, Osborne has gone 343-305 and, last season, won a World Series.
Prior to managing the ChiSox, Osborne managed the Atlanta Braves to a 168-156 record in 2006-2007 and, as interim manager, guided the 2001 Pitrates to a 32-22 mark.

CINCINNATI REDS
NICK LEYVA - Manager
Leyva enters his third season as Reds skipper and is coming off a 90-72 season in which Cincinnati won the NL Central. The team went 84-78 in his rookie managerial season in 2013. He previously managed the in the minor leagues for nine seasons.

MATT HERGES - Pitching Coach
Herges, a career Phillies reliever, enters his second season as Reds pitching coach. The team posted a 4.25 ERA under his direction last eyar.

TIM RAINES - Scouting Director
Seven-time All Star outfielder Raines returns as scouting director for the Reds. He has earned a fine reputation as a scout and for several years worked as a scout with the Red Sox organization.

CLEVELAND INDIANS
PAT GRAY - Manager
Gray enters his second season as Indians skipper, having gone 95-67 and winning the Wild Card last year. His previous big league manager jobs are interim skipper of the Rangers in 1997, manger of the White Sox (1998-2001), Detroit Tigers (2004-2005), Oakland Athletics (2006-2007) and the Brewers (2008-2012). He has only made playoffs twice in his career, 2006 with Oakland and 2014 with Cleveland.

HECTOR RUIZ - Hitting Coach
Ruiz returns to Cleveland for the first time since being fired as manager in 2009, now serving as hitting coach for Pat Gray. Ruiz managed the Tribe in 2008-2009, going 172-152 and making the playoffs once. He previously managed the Mariners (2001-2007).

COLORADO ROCKIES
TONY PENA - Manager
Pena will start his time as Rockies manager this season, having signed a three-year contract in the off-season. Pena previously managed the Blue Jays (1998-1999) and Padres (2005-2006) and has posted a 342-306 mark as a manager.

MIKE STANTON - Pitching Coach
A reliever with the Braves from 1989-2006, Stanton has come out of retirement to serve as Pena's pitching coach with the Rockies. He has earned high praise through spring training with how well he has worked with the players, but the real test is still to come: Coors Field.

DAYTON DRAGONS (A)
JOSHUA HARMON - Manager
Harmon is working his way back to the big leagues after leading the Worcester Tornadoes to three straight playoff appearances he has taken over Dayton. Harmon won a World Series as manager of the Phillies in 2005 - his second stint as team manager - but was fired following a disappointing 2006 season. Harmon managed the Phillies from 1997-2001 and 2003-2006. He has also managed the Chicago Cubs (1995), Baltimore Orioles (1996) and Atlanta Braves (2002), as well as several minor league clubs.

MIKE GALLEGO - Hitting Coach
Gallego enters his second year as Dragons hitting coach. The former infielder guided the team to a .266 batting average last year.

DETROIT TIGERS
MARC NELSON - Manager
Nelson enters the final year under his contract as Tigers manager and has posted records of 78-84 in 2013 and 83-79 in 2014. He previously managed the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 1998-2006.

EL PASO DIABLOS (A)
RICK AGUILERA - Pitching Coach
Aguilera, who worked as a starter, middle reliever and closer during his 17-year career in the big leagues with the Mets, Twins, Dodgers, Mariners and Cubs, enters his second season as Diablos pitching coach. The team posted a 4.44 ERA last year, much better than its 5.23 ERA in 2013 before Aguilera joined the staff.

FLORIDA MARLINS
CLARENCE BUTLER - Manager
Butler enters his second season as Marlins manager. He led the fish to a 78-86 record and fourth place finish in his rookie season. He previously managed in the minor leagues with the New Britain Rock Cats (2004-2006) and Reading Phillies (2007-2013).

FT. WORTH CATS (A)
JOSE SANDOVAL - Manager
A veteran minor league manager, Sandoval will open 2015 with the Cats. He has posted a 1,158-1,282 record over his minor league career with seven different clubs.

GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS (A)
TOM GORDON - Pitching Coach
As a man who has started, relieved and closed out ballgames, "Flash" Gordon has a wealth of experience behind him as he starts his second year as Grasshoppers pitching coach. Underh is direction last season, Greensboro posted a 2.74 ERA.

HOUSTON ASTROS
EDGAR RODRIGUEZ - Manager
Rodriguez was promoted from his minor league managerial job to take over the Twins as interim skipper last year and guided Minnesota to a 33-34 record during that time. He was not brought back and has signed on to manage the Astros for the next four seasons.

AL NIPPER - Pitching Coach
Veteran pitching coach Al Nipper joins Rodriguez in Houston to bring some experience to the table.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS
FRANK BELL - Manager
Bell gets his first crack at managing in the big leagues, after several years in the minor leagues. He is said to be a National League-style manager.

LOWELL SPINNERS (A)
MARTY CORDOVA - Manager
Cordova's managerial career may prove to be better than his 11-year big league playing career. Entering his fourth season as Spinners skipper, Cordova has gone 213-147 with two first place finishes and a league title. During his playing career, Cordova played with the Twins, Cubs, Astros, Royals, Mets and Dodgers, won the 1995 AL Rookie of the Year with the Twins and was an All Star in 2000 with Kansas City.

OMAHA ROYALS (AAA)
JEFF KENT - Manager
Kent gets his first crack at managing as he takes over the Omaha Royals, who finished in 7th place last year at 57-73.

PAWTUCKET RED SOX (AAA)
JOE GIRARDI - Manager
Girardi enters his fourth season as PawSox skipper, and does so with great job security. Girardi had drawn rave reviews while postinga 246-144 record in his three seasons, winning the division each year and winning championships in 2012 and 2013. As a player, Girardi spent 11 years in the big leagues, mostly with the Chicago Cubs (1989-1992, 1998) and Colorado Rockies (1993-1996). He also played for the Red Sox in 1997 and the Kansas City Royals in 1999.

JOHN MABRY - Hitting Coach
After a 15-year big league career as a player, Mabry is working on his minor league coaching career. He enters his second season as Pawtucket hitting coach. The PawSox hit .298 as a team last year.

PORTLAND SEA DOGS (AA)
TOM WITT - Manager
Witt enters the final year on his contract in pretty good shape. The Sea Dogs have gone 138-102 and finished in first place during his first two seasons with the team.

RICHMOND BRAVES (AAA)
CLAUDIO CASTRO - Manager
Castro enters his second season as Braves manager and his 21st season as a minor league manager. Castro has served as skipper of the Nashville Sounds (1995-1996), Syracuse Chiefs (1997-2001), Durham Bulls (2002-2008), Midland Rockhounds (2009-2010), Chattanooga Lookouts (2011), Tenessee Smokies (2012), Arkansas Braves (2013) and last year led Richmond to a 73-57 mark. In his 21 years, Castro has posted a 1,246-1,308 record with seven playoff appearances and one championship (2006 with Durham).

ROUND ROCK EXPRESS (AAA)
RICH AMARAL - Manager
Amaral enters his seventh season as Express manager. Amaral has also managed the Las Vegas 51s (2005-2007) and Tampa Yankees (2008).

TENNESSEE SMOKIES (AA)
EDDIE TAUBENSEE - Hitting Coach
After a 12-year playing career with the Indians, Astros and Reds, Taubensee has joined the Smokies coaching staff. He takes over a lineup that hit .269 last year.

TUCSON SIDEWINDERS (AAA)
LOUIE BAKER - Manager
Baker is signed through the upcoming season to manage Arizona's AAA affiliate may be highly sought after if he doesn't re-sign there. Baker has five years as Sidewinders manager, posting a 347-303 record and winning a championship in 2013.

[Moriarty9]

2015 (so far) in review...
Sox holding onto AL East lead
Friday, July 24, 2015

A couple weeks beyond the All Star Game, with the trade deadline rapidly approaching, and the Boston Red Sox are once again at the top of the American League East.
Boston sits at 55-41, 5 1/2 games ahead of the New York Yankees, 9 games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays and 15 1/2 ahead of the 39-56 Tampa Bay Rays.

The team shed some payroll and added some minor league depth just before Opening Day, trading lefty Dontrelle Willis and his $7.8 million contract to the Atlanta Braves for pitching prospect Pedro Alonso. Willis, 33, went 7-8 with a 5.50 ERA in 21 starts for the Red Sox last year. He's performed well for the Braves so far, going 7-3 with a 4.98 ERA in 18 starts - on pace to go 12-5. Alonso, 20, went 3-5 with a 2.65 ERA in 20 games, 19 starts, in Atlanta's minor league system last year. So far this year, Alonso has gone 10-2 with a 2.84 ERA in 19 starts in Boston's minor leagues.

The Red Sox lost Johan Santana for the season on June 23 with a ruptured ulnar collateral ligament. Santana's season ends at 7-3 with a 3.96 ERA in 15 starts.

Four Red Sox players made the All Star team: pitcher Mark Gorman, catcher Brian St. John, thirdbaseman Miguel Cabrera and outfielder Brett Gordon.

A player-by-player look at where we are:
BRYAN BRAKE, 25-yr-old RHP
After going 17-4 with a 3.22 ERA in 27 starts last year, hopes were high for Brake and though he's pitched fairly well, he hasn't quite been where Boston hoped he'd be this season. In 20 starts so far, he's gone 8-4 with a 4.68 ERA, putting him on pace to finish the year at 14-7 with 132 strikeouts in 230 2/3 innings.
He did have a strong run from May 4-June 11, going 3-1 with a 3.05 ERA in eight starts.

AURELIO GONZALES, 26-yr-old LHP
Gonzales was a good little pitcher in 2014 (12-7, 3.86 ERA, 28 G, 27 GS) but has had some bumps in the road this year. He's gone 6-5 with a 4.75 ERA in 20 games, 19 of which have been starts.

MARK GORMAN, 28-yr-old RHP
After several years in the minor leagues, Gorman has had first legitimate opportunity this season and has taken full advantage. He entered the season with 22 big league appearances, six of which were starts, between 2013 and 2014. He won a job in the rotation during spring training and has responded with a 10-3 mark thus far and a 3.84 ERA in 15 starts. Gorman is on pace to go 17-5 with 138 strikeouts in 25 starts.
He was red-hot from May 30-July 8, going 7-0 in eight starts with a 1.94 ERA.

ROY OSWALT, 37-yr-old RHP
Has age caught up with Oswalt or is it just a struggle this year? The former Cy Young winner went 12-11 last year with a 4.79 ERA in 32 outings, but this year has started off at 7-5 with a bloated 6.42 ERA in 21 games, 15 of which have been starts. Oswalt was upset with a demotion to the bullpen, but the numbers showed why the decision was made. Since Santana's injury, he has returned to the rotation.

JORGE DUARTE, 22-yr-old RHP
Duarte has been the swing-man, making the occassional start while primarily eating innings out of the bullpen. Acquired from Baltimore in the offseason in exchange for Dustin Pedroia (who is on pace to hit .292 with 7 HR, 84 RBI, 99 R in 155 games with the Orioles), Duarte has struggled to a 2-5 record and a 7.39 ERA in 23 games, eight of which have been starts.

CONROY DUNCAN, 24-yr-old RHP
Duncan had been in the minor leagues since 2008 before pitching four scoreless innings of relief for Boston last September. He has returned to the big league bullpen this year and has been strong. Duncan is 1-2 with three saves and a 2.82 ERA in 34 relief appearances so far.

AARON HAAS, 28-yr-old RHP
Like Duncan, Haas had been sitting in the minor leagues before getting a cup of coffee in Boston last September. He is a big part of this year's bullpen, going 4-2 with three saves and a 3.72 ERA in 39 games.

DANNY HANNA, 25-yr-old LHP
A lefty-specialist the last few seasons with the Red Sox, Hanna has enjoyed his finest season to date. He is 3-3 with a save and a 3.89 ERA in 33 appearances.

JIMMY MOODY, 29-yr-old RHP
Moody struggled last September as a call-up but has pitched well since being called up in late May. He is 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 14 relief appearances so far.

JONATHAN PAPELBON, 34-yr-old RHP
Since taking over as Red Sox closer in 2012, Papelbon has seen his saves totals drop while his ERA rises each year. This year he's got the worst ERA of his career (5.27) but is only one save behind his total from last year and is on pace to save a career-high 39 games.

JUNIOR HOLMES, 28-yr-old LHP
Holmes has been in the Boston system since 2005 and was given a shot in late June through most of July before being sent back down to the minor leagues. Making four starts with the Red Sox, Holmes went 1-0 with a 7.89 ERA, walking 14 and striking out five in 21 2/3 innings while opponents hit .323 against him.

DORIAN HAMILTON, 27-yr-old RHP
Another long-time minor leaguer, Hamilton was the last man in the bullpen last year and struggled throughout his time with the club this year before being sent to Pawtucket. Hamilton went 2-1 with a 5.49 ERA in 14 games with Boston.

BRIAN ST. JOHN, 28-yr-old Catcher
In his third season as a big leaguer, St. John earned an All Star appearance. He is hitting .344 with 18 home runs, 66 RBI and 62 runs scored in 85 games. St. John is on pace to hit 30 homers and drive in 111 runs while scoring 105. He has thrown out 35% of would-be base-stealers this season.

JAVIER RAMIREZ, 29-yr-old Catcher
Ramirez has played very well when he sees time behind the plate this year. In 18 games, he has hit .377 with two homers and eight RBI. He's thrown out 35.7% of base-stealers.

JOSE MATEO, 27-yr-old 1B
Mateo put on a power display in April, pounding out a .351 average, 13 home runs and 24 RBI in 74 at bats that month. He has cooled as the season has moved along (just .269 with 2 HR in 67 July ABs) but has put together a .299, 29 homer, 80 RBI performance in 90 games thus far. He is on pace for 49 home runs and 135 RBI.

GABRIEL AVILA, 31-yr-old 1B
Avila has worked as Mateo's back-up and as a pinch-hitter this season. He has hit .265 with one homer and five RBI and 10 runs scored over 83 at bats so far.

FERNANDO HERNANDEZ, 25-yr-old 2B
Hernandez has enjoyed his first shot as a regular big leaguer, hitting .297 with eight home runs and 44 RBI in 293 at bats so far. He's on pace for 14 homers and 74 RBI in 494 at bats over 123 games.

FRANK MOORE, 25-yr-old INF
Working primarily as a corner infielder, with some time at second base, Moore has hit seen far less time than he did as a rookie last season (he played in 143 games last year, on pace for 98 games this year), he's hit .304 with three homers and 24 RBI.

NICK HUGGINS, 27-yr-old INF
After hitting .336 with 24 homers and 97 RBI last year, many expected big tihngs for Huggins this year, but he hasn't had the same opportunities. With Hanley Ramirez healthy, that put Huggins back onto the bench, although he finds his way into the ballgame quite often. He's hit .330 with four homers and 33 RBI in 224 at bats, putting him on pace for seven homers, 56 RBI and 378 at bats.

MIGUEL CABRERA, 32-yr-old 3B
Cabrera has been amazingly consistent over his career and is on pace for another Miguel Cabrera season. In 94 games this year, he's hit .328 with 19 homers, 66 RBI and 72 runs scored - on pace to go deep 32 times, knock in 111 runs and score 122 times.

HANLEY RAMIREZ, 31-yr-old SS
Ramirez has put up a career low batting average thus far (.240) but his numbers are otherwise on par with his normal stats. He's hit 10 homers, 43 RBI, 74 runs and 13 stolen bases, which could translate to 17 homers, 73 RBI, 125 runs and 22 stolen bases by season's end.

JOHN LOVE, 26-yr-old OF
A September call-up last year, Love has been a nice little slugger for the Red Sox. In 271 at bats over 78 games, he has hit .269 with 24 home runs and 61 RBI, putting him on pace for a rookie season that includes 41 homers and 103 RBI.

ADAM McCORMICK, 29-yr-old OF
An extra outfielder for Boston the last few seasons, McCormick has reprised the role this year. He has hit .258 with six homers, 29 RBI and 39 runs in 194 at bats. He's on pace for 10 homers, 49 RBI and 66 runs scored.

BRETT GORDON, 24-yr-old OF
A mid-season call-up last season, Gordon impressed the organization by hitting .293 with nine homers and 40 RBI in 68 games with Boston. This year, in 84 games, he's been a success, hitting .289 with 21 homers and 57 RBI - putting him on pace for 35 homers and 96 RBI in his first full season in the big leagues.

MATT KEMP, 30-yr-old OF
Kemp has found himself in the manager's doghouse this year with a poor attitude regarding the playing time some of the younger outfielders have earned. A trade deadline deal is likely. Kemp has hit .277 with six homers and 30 RBI in just 249 at bats with Boston.

BOBBY FARRINGTON, 23-yr-old OF
Farrington has been hit-or-miss this season, hitting just .227 but with 13 home runs in 181 at bats (a homer ever 13.92 at bats). He's just torn his groin muscle and is on the disabled list for the next few weeks.

[Moriarty9]

Idle Red Sox win division title
Orioles loss secures first place for Boston
Thursday, October 1, 2015

BOSTON - For the 17th time in 21 seasons, Kevin Kennedy and the Boston Red Sox have won the American League East.
This time around, there was no on-field celebration or champagne flying around the clubhouse as the team had a scheduled off-day while the second place Baltimore Orioles were in St. Petersburg, Florida, to take on the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays came up with an 11-5 win over the Orioles, clinching the division title for the Red Sox and eliminating the potential drama of a season-ending three-game series between Boston and Baltimore this weekend at Fenway Park.
"We're certainly thrilled to be able to say we're division champions once again, but the fact of the matter is we had already clinched a playoff spot and that's what really mattered," Kennedy said. "We had our rotation for this next series already set in stone, regardless of whether these last three games meant anything or not in terms of the division title."
Baltimore has clinched the Wild Card race, leaving only two races in the American League. In the AL Central, the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers are tied with identical 85-74 records. Cleveland's final three games will be at home against the 81-78 Kansas City Royals while the Tigers end the year at home against the 81-78 Toronto Blue Jays.
In the West, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim entered this weekend's four-game set with the second place Oakland Athletics with just a one-game lead. The Angels won the series opener tonight in Oakland, 6-3, reducing their magic number to two. The