Red Sox Week in Review, 3/14-3/21

by Ian Tasso
Editorial. Photos by AP News

If spring training is supposed to be any indication of impending success – then this certainly isn’t a good sign.

As the month of March winds down and opening day fast approaches, MLB teams all across Florida and Arizona are putting the finishing touches on what has been a fast few weeks of preparation for the upcoming 162 game grind.

And for the Red Sox, that means pinpointing some of the kinks in the armor – as painful as it’s been to watch.

Since last Sunday, when the Sox defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-4, Boston has been reeling, dropping five in a row before salvaging the week with a 6-0 victory over the division rival Orioles yesterday afternoon.

But even the Sunday’s win didn’t come easy, as Boston fell down 3-0 in the first inning, before scoring six runs in two innings to take the lead, and the win. For Boston it was the familiar faces of Dustin Pedroia (2-3), Kevin Youkilis (2-3) and Jacoby Ellsbury (1-3) who each drove in one run apiece, helping the Sox grab their ninth win of the spring behind a solid show from the bullpen.

At the time, Boston was near the top of the Grapefruit League standings.

Oh, what a difference a week can make.

The following afternoon, fortunes would take a dramatic turn for the Red Sox organization, as top-ranked prospect Ryan Westmoreland, 21, would need to seek treatment for a cavernous malformation in his brain. Westmoreland was immediately transferred to Mass. General Hospital, where he would undergo brain surgery on Tuesday, March 16.

The news seemed to take a toll on the hometown club, who dropped an 8-4 decision to the Baltimore Orioles that afternoon, a game which saw long-time third baseman Mike Lowell make his spring debut at first base.

Despite the shake-up at the corners, the Sox saw no change in the win-loss column the following afternoon, as on Tuesday, the same day as Westmoreland’s surgery, Boston dropped both of their split-squad matches, 3-0 to the Houston Astros, and 7-0 to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Despite being in the midst of the a three-game skid, encouraging news for the Sox came from up in Boston, where minor-leaguer Ryan Westmoreland had undergone successful brain surgery.

But with months of difficult rehabilitation ahead, and the game of baseball firmly in the rear-view-mirror for Westmoreland, the rest of the Red Sox had to push forward the diamond.

Their troubles would continue however, as Wednesday, March 17, ex-Sox slugger Jason Bay and the New York Mets would shutout Boston, 4-2. The offense once again failed to get much going, pushing only two runs across to back an impressive four-inning shutout effort from newly signed righty John Lackey.

But after scoring just two runs in their previous three games, the Sox offense would undergo a resurgence on Friday, March 19, exploding for seven runs against the NL Central’s Pittsburgh Pirates. Unfortunately, on that day it would be the pitching staff that would falter, Josh Beckett surrendering four runs in three and a third innings of work, the Sox falling to the Pirates 9-7.

Boston’s losing streak dipped to five.

But with redemption on their mind, Boston would take to the field on Saturday again against the Orioles, winning a 6-0 decision thanks to home runs from first baseman Kevin Youkilis and shortstop Marco Scutaro. The win also came on a day where the Red Sox inked lefty Alan Embree, a relief pitcher who was a member of the Sox back in 2004 when they captured their first World Series in 86 years.

Embree has struggled since leaving Boston after the ’04 season, however, and finished last season 2-2 with a 5.84 ERA. Embree will begin the season for the Sox in AAA.

It would be a return to losing ways, though, for the Sox later in the afternoon, falling to the Astros by a score of 10-7. After Jon Lester left the rubber with a 5-3 lead, Jonathan Papelbon would surrender five runs in just one-third of an inning, Boston eventually losing a grip on their lead, falling to 2-6 on the week.

But, if it’s any consolation to the fans, Zack Greinke posted an atrocious 9.21 ERA in spring training last season.

And we all know how the regular campaign turned out for him.