Positional Outlook - Japan
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March 21, 2008 @ 02:53:38
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By Bryce McRae
Edited by Cory J. Bonini
Hitters
Do Not Bench: Boston Red Sox designated hitter/first baseman David Ortiz, Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez
Shallow
J.D. Drew, Outfielder, Boston Red Sox
Schedule: 2 games - @OAK (2)
- Hit .314 with one home run and 11 RBIs to finish off the 2007 postseason
- Has hit .368 with three RBIs in six games against the A's last year
- Looking to rebound after subpar season where he hit .270 with just 11 home runs
Dustin Pedroia, Second Baseman, Boston Red Sox
Schedule: 2 games - @OAK (2)
- Hit .317 and scored 52 runs in 67 games after the All-Star break last year
- Has hit only .217 against Athletics in six games
- Should score some runs, steal a few bases at the top of the Red Sox lineup
Julio Lugo, Shortstop, Boston Red Sox
Schedule: 2 games - @OAK (2)
- Horrible first half as he hit just .197, although he did steal 22 bases
- Average improved in second half, hitting .280 after the All-Star break
- Doesn't hit well against the Athletics; only a career .197 average
Jason Varitek, Catcher, Boston Red Sox
Schedule: 2 games - @OAK (2)
- Power surge at the end of last year saw him hit eight home runs in last two months
- Hit just .255 last year and only .225 after the All-Star break
- His average has been good in April in the past as he is a .280 hitter in the opening month
- Should see plenty of pitches hitting after David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell
Travis Buck, Outfielder, Oakland Athletics
Schedule: 2 games - BOS (2)
- Came on strong last year with a .297 average in the second half (.327 in August)
- Lost power as he had just one second-half home run
- Hit .333 with one home run and two RBIs in four games against the Red Sox last year
Kevin Youkilis, First Baseman, Boston Red Sox
Schedule: 2 games - @OAK (2)
- Inconsistent with his average last year as it jumped from good to bad and back again in consecutive months
- Despite inconsistency still finished with a .306 average, 16 home runs and 83 RBIs
- Struck out almost once per game over the second half of the season
- Has hit just .241 against the A's in 83 at-bats.
Mike Lowell, Third Baseman, Boston Red Sox
Schedule: 2 games - @OAK (2)
- Career year last year as hit .324 with 120 RBIs and 79 runs
- Hit .350 with 57 RBIs, but only seven home runs, down the stretch last year
- Historically has hit very well in April with a .306 average and most of his home runs coming in this month
- Struggled against the A's last year, hitting just .233 with zero home runs
Jack Cust, Designated Hitter, Oakland Athletics
Schedule: 2 games - BOS (2)
- Inconsistent with his average as it ranged from .329 to .193 on a monthly basis last year
- Power numbers remained consistent, and he had an impressive eight home runs in May of last year
- Will be the first time he is starting regularly in April
- Career .306 hitter with two of his 31 home runs against the Red Sox
Intermediate
Jacoby Ellsbury, Outfielder, Boston Red Sox
Schedule: 2 games - @OAK (2)
- Late-season addition was a sparkplug for the Red Sox last year
- Hit .353 with 18 RBIs, 20 runs and nine stolen bases in just 33 games last year
- Struggling this spring with a .209 average
- Could lose some time if Crisp returns from his injury this year
Coco Crisp, Outfielder, Boston Red Sox
Schedule: 2 games - @OAK (2)
- Bothered by a groin injury most of the spring, he said he feels rusty but is healthy and should get some at-bats
- Struggled to begin the season with .235 and .224 averages over the first two months
- Was held to just a .167 average against the Athletics last year
- Unsure if he or Ellsbury will be starting in center field
Emil Brown, Outfielder, Oakland Athletics
Schedule: 2 games - BOS (2)
- Had his best month in September last year when he hit .333 but drove in just seven runs
- Slow starter as he has just a career .208 average in April
- Has beat up on Red Sox pitchers in his career with a .344 average and four home runs in 64 at-bats
Kurt Suzuki, Catcher, Oakland Athletics
Schedule: 2 games - BOS (2)
- Struggled to hit for average (.249) last year but drove in 27 runs and scored 39 in 68 games
- Went 2-for-7 in limited time against the Red Sox last year
- Hit .325 this spring and could be ready to break out in first full campaign
Bobby Crosby, Shortstop, Oakland Athletics
Schedule: 2 games - BOS (2)
- Just a .214 career average in April and only seven home runs in the month means he is a slow starter
- Struggled against the Red Sox with just a .205 career average against them
- Poor season last year (.226 average, eight home runs) could have him on his last legs in Oakland
Daric Barton, First Baseman, Oakland Athletics
Schedule: 2 games - BOS (2)
- Late call-up hit .347 with four home runs and 16 runs in only 18 games
- Cleaned up against Boston pitchers last year, hitting .571 with one home run in two games
- Should be the starter as he is the future at this position for the A's
Mark Ellis, Second Baseman, Oakland Athletics
Schedule: 2 games - BOS (2)
- Had career highs in home runs (19), RBIs (76) and runs (84) last year
- Finished the year strong, hitting .351 in the final month
- Has raked against Boston pitchers, hitting .323 with 16 RBIs and 23 runs in 34 games
Deep
Chris Denorfia, Outfielder, Oakland Athletics
Schedule: 2 games - BOS (2)
- Will be making first major league appearance since 2006
- Hitting just .244 in 15 games this spring
- First time starting in the American League
- Will also be facing top pitching staff in the league (3.87 ERA last year)
Ryan Sweeney, Outfielder, Oakland Athletics
Schedule: 2 games - BOS (2)
- Poor hitter with just .213 career average, although only 80 at-bats
- Has hit .222 with one RBI in nine career at-bats against Red Sox pitchers
Jack Hannahan, Third Baseman, Oakland Athletics
Schedule: 2 games - BOS (2)
- Called into duty with the injury to Eric Chavez; likely will return to the bench once Chavez go start
- Decent bench player with a .278 average and 24 RBIs in 41 games last year
Pitchers
Do Not Bench: Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, Oakland Athletics closer Huston Street, Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon
Shallow
Jon Lester, Starting Pitcher, Boston Red Sox
Schedule: 2 games - @OAK (2)
- Put up a solid 3.34 ERA in five September starts last year
- Faced the Athletics twice, earning no-decisions both times, but posted 12 strikeouts
- Athletics had the fourth-worst offense in the American League last year
Joe Blanton, Starting Pitcher, Oakland Athletics
Schedule: 2 games - BOS (2)
- Won 14 games and had an ERA of 3.95 last year
- Struggled down the stretch with a 4.89 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in the second half
- Pitched well against the Red Sox with a 2-1 record and 3.58 ERA; a 1.35 WHIP and only 17 strikeouts in five starts could scare you off
- Red Sox also had the third-best overall offense in the league last year
Intermediate
Hideki Okajima, Relief Pitcher, Boston Red Sox
Schedule: 2 games - @OAK (2)
- Great prior to the break with a 0.83 WHIP and only four earned runs
- Struggled a bit in the second half as his ERA rose to 2.22 and his WHIP 0.97
- Has only allowed one walk and one hit in 3 1/3 innings pitched against the Athletics
Manny Delcarmen, Relief Pitcher, Boston Red Sox
Schedule: 2 games - @OAK (2)
- Was not used extensively in the first half with just 10 appearances but still had an ERA of 1.69 and a WHIP of 0.84
- Was lights-out in September with a 1.59 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in 12 appearances
- Has seven strikeouts and a 1.35 ERA in 6 2/3 career innings against Athletics' hitters
Deep
Rich Harden, Starting Pitcher, Oakland Athletics
Schedule: 2 games - BOS (2)
- Has just 13 starts over the past two seasons
- Can be dominant when he is healthy as he showed in 2005 (2.53 ERA, 1.06 WHIP)
- Struggled against Boston with a 17.61 ERA in two career starts
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