Josh Beckett was outstanding in his return from the DL on Tuesday limiting the Indians to 2 runs on just 3 hits and a walk while fanning 7 over 7 IP. He improves to 8-0 and becomes the first Red Sox pitcher to start 8-0 since Roger Clemens started 14-0 in 1986 ... Yes that's the same Roger Clemens who is dodging the Red Sox this weekend ... and it's the same 1986 that was 21 years ago ... but I digress ... Josh faced the minimum number of batters through 6 and looked sharp and effective. He said after the game that the organization handled his avulsion perfectly and that he felt they had "nipped this thing in the bud". Beckett's panel is all green. Get him back in.
Jon Lester pitched five scoreless innings for Pawtucket on Tuesday, touching 95 mph on a occasion as he continues his rehab. That's more velocity than he showed prior to his illness. The fact of the matter is that Jon is ready for the majors but the Red Sox simply have no place to pitch him for now. The Sox can afford to wait on Jon and keep his innings down this summer. They have the luxury right now to wait for the right time to start working him back into the majors and the plan is probably for Jon to be a pretty nice trade-deadline addition from within. If you own Jon be patient. You may have to wait for your first 2007 dividends, but he will be worth it.
Lenny DiNardo held the Rangers to 1 run over 5.1 IP last night on 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. He suffered the loss as the A's were shutdown by Mike Wood but Lenny lowered his ERA to 1.80 on the year over what is now 19.2 IP in 12 appearances. His audition for the A's final rotation slot is going well so far. In two starts he's allowed just one earned run in 10 IP on 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6. I'm not ready to bet against Lenny doing fairly well as a starter even if he's never made more than 6 starts in a season, but I am concerned about his career BB rate of 3.6. He has cut that to 2.1 this year but you have to expect that rate to rebound towards his career baseline. He is also posting an OBA of .212 this year which is well below his .298 career OBA and that should rebound as well. None of that is too encouraging but what I like about Lenny is his career 2.9 GB ratio. Combined with a serviceable K rate of 5.7 per 9, that gives Lenny the tools to be effective. If he makes this year's BB rate stick to any degree he has the potential to be surprisingly effective, in fact. If you are battered in the rotation in a deep league, you may want to take a chance here. It will be a few more starts before he is stretched out enough to be in line for wins on a regular basis, but Lenny could end up being a pleasant, low-level sleeper in deep leagues.
Joe Torre confirmed what we have been speculating about a for a day or two, that Roger Clemens will not start against Boston at Fenway during the Yankees upcoming series with the Sox. Instead, Roger will make his 2007 debut against the White Sox on Monday. His velocity is still down but in his last start for Trenton Roger showed significantly better command than he did in his first start. It it weren't Roger we were talking about I'd be very leery here, but the man is a warrior and would probably give you 5 decent innings left handed if he needed to. My needle is pointing closer to the "dissapointmnet" end of the prediction meter right now but he's the best free aganet start that is likely to be available this summer in many leagues, so like the Yankees, some of you are more than justified and rolling the dice here. There are certainly worse players to bet on than this guy.
Ervin Santana carried some of the issues from his previous start (8 runs, 7 hits, 3 walks in 3.2 IP) into last night's game against the M's throwing 26 pitches in the first inning and allowing a run. That would be the last run he would give up however, as he rebounded strongly. Ervin needed just 70 pitches to get through 6 more shutout innings allowing just 3 additional hits, 2 of which were infield hits. Santana collected his 4th win of the year against 6 losses and lowered his ERA to 5.48, going 7 IP overall, allowing 4 hits, 2 walks and striking out 4. He's been trick or treat over his last 4 starts allowing 13 runs in 9.2 IP in his two bad starts and 2 runs in 13 IP in his two good starts in that span. The two good starts were at home where he is 4-1, 2.12, 1.08 this year (5 starts), and the two bad starts came on the road where he is 0-5, 9.30, 2.06 in 6 starts. Last year he was 10-2, 3.02 at home and 6-6, 5.95 on the road ... In 2005 the home/away split was 9-3, 3.18 and 3-5, 7.43. I would call that a significant and repeated delta. Next up for Santana is the Orioles at home. Feel free to use Ervin in that one, but you need to pick your road starts for him very carefully.
David Ortiz (hammy) is expected to return to the Red Sox lineup today after missing time with a hamstring. The Red Sox probably blew his shot at his long overdue MVP award by winning every game he sat out.
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