Red Sox 2007 mid-season report

A look at the Bosox at the actual midway point of the 2007 season

Here at Curt's Bloody Sock, we asked our self, errr selves, why wait till the mythical halfway mark of a baseball season, the All Star Game, when the real midway point comes today, after game #81?

To which I responded, good question, self!

Just because there's plenty of extra time with the teams all taking a three day hiatus, I suppose.

But here at the offices of C.B.S. we strive to be the bastions of integrity, so if today marks the actual midway point of the 2007 season, then dammit we are going to do our mid season report card right now, not next Monday when there's nothing going on except the bastardized Home Run Derby and perhaps it's a little bit more convenient to us.

Besides, I didn't want to do the June wrap up, the Texas series recap and then this thing all in the next week. Plus it'll leave me time for some fun posts over the break, like mercilessly ridiculing the Stankees and their classless hag spouses.

Enjoy/feel free to comment.

Boston Red Sox: 50-31, Up 10.5 gms in AL East

AVG:.273 (6th) ERA: 3.71 (2nd) HRs: 81 (7th) RUNS: 400 (6th)

PLAYER	FACTS & FIGURES	GRADE
Youk	.329/9/44; 7th in avg, 6th in OBP (.419), great 'D' at 2 pos.	A+
Lowell	.292/12/55; 9th in AL in RBI; leads Sox in HRs & RBI	A-
Pedroia	.320/32R/25RBI; top 20 in 2Bs (20) and 11th in OBP (.411)	A
Papi	.312/14/49; 2nd in OBP (.426), 3rd in BB (54), 7th in SLG (.551), 2nd in 2B (27)	B+
Manny	.288/11/44; 10th in BB (44); power #s way down	B
Tek	.270/8/33; CS % (14.3) has to improve	B-
Coco	.262/41R/22BI; 8th in SB (15); stellar 'D' every night	B-
Cora	.282/15R/14BI; proven to be invaluable bench guy	B-
Hinske	.218/14R/11BI; he doesn't hit often, but he makes 'em count	C+
Drew	.257/6/32/42BB; recent improvement raised grade	C
Belli	.174/2/5; current 1-16 skid, but he's Wake's caddy...	C-
WMP	.224/4/12; 40 Ks, 10 BBs in 107 ABs	D
Lugo	.189/4/34; current 0-33 skid; only SB total (20- 4th) keeps him from F	D-
Ellsbury	.300 (3-10), 2R, 2BB, 1SB; it's early, but he looks awesome	A/I
PITCHER	FACTS & FIGURES	GRADE
Beckett	11-2/3.38/83K; 2nd in Ws, 6th in WHIP (1.10)despite DL stint	A+
Dice-K	9-5/3.80/110K; 4th in Ks, 5th in W despite rough spots	B+
Schill	6-4/4.20/71K; injured or just old? did have a near no-no	C+
Tavarez	5-6/4.39; has been better than expected as a No. 5	C+
Gabbard	2-0/5.79/11 BB in 14IP; needs to cut down the walks	C
Wake	8-8/4.31/40BB, 12HRs all'd; 7th in BBs, 4th in Ls	C-
Paps	19svs/1.50/42Ks, 10BBs in 30IP; 6th in saves	A+
Oki	2-0/4SV/0.88ERA; 4th in holds (13), 2nd in relief ERA	A+
Snyder	1-1/2.40; most consistent of mid relievers	B+
Manny D.	2.57ERA/4H, 2R in 7IP; plus 98 mph gas	B+
Lopez	1-1/3.05/11BB in 20IP; good 1-batter specialist	B
Donnelly	2-1/3.05/15K in 20IP; on DL since 6/17	B
Timlin	1-0/1SV/5.59/5HRs in 19IP; showing his age & mileage	C
Pineiro	1-1/5.04/36H, 13BB in 30.1IP; that Seattle game-ugh!	D

Upon further review after plowing through this massive post, I now realize why everyone does this during the break--I just spent a few hours composing this and in a couple of days it'll be buried under previews, reviews and results of the D-Rays & Tigers series.

I guess I'll just link to it on Monday.