Red Sox Diaries

The first week of the season did not go as planned for many Red Sox fans. If you had told me that the Red Sox would be in dead last in the AL East after the first week of the season, I would have laughed in your face and asked you to put your money where your mouth is. But here we are, a week into the season and the Red Sox are DEAD LAST! AGHHHH! Say it ain’t so!

Okay okay, lets not panic. There is still a bunch of baseball left but some things from the first week concern me. The first is the disappearance of David Ortiz. Once upon a time the hefty lefty was one of the most feared hitters in baseball. Now Papi looks like just another older designated hitter who, once the shift is on, can’t buy a hit. After a wrist injury limited his production last season, more of the same is here in 2009. It’s sad to say, but don’t expect Big Papi to touch 25 homers or even 90 RBI this season. On that note, do enjoy his presence at the plate. It may be the last season you see him in a Red Sox uniform.

Another early season performance that bothers me is that of Jon Lester. The cancer survivor couldn’t survive a start against the A’s? Lester let Nomar Garciaparra go deep on him and that was after he had already given the game away in the second inning. Lester didn’t walk anybody, which is a sign that good things could be around the corner, but keeping pace in the AL East would be easier if Lester can regain his 2008 form. I was upset when the Sox passed on Johan Santana, but they saw potential in Lester and he rewarded them last season. Pay close attention to Lester’s next start. He is going to want to rectify the past two starts and he might press.

With two more winnable games at Oakland, the Sox have the day off on Thursday and then get the Orioles at Fenway for four games. In the meantime, if you happen to see the Papi of old anywhere, tell him the Sox need him for another title run. ---Nick Barone.