Kuzul

Sometimes one reads an article that is so far from what one believes, it makes one scream and hastily hammer out an angry comment.

ESPN’s Bill Simmons wrote such an article today, about how the Boston Red Sox have been boring this year. Many things, he says, have contributed to this.

While I agree that the hangover from the Steroid Era and the length of games have added to a general decline in interest across the sport, I vehemently disagree with the charge that the Red Sox have been uninteresting.

Nota bene, I really like the Sports Guy, and in no way intend to rip or criticise one of the better writers at ESPN. I just think he is wrong on this, and was inspired to write this in response.

He said today “Quite simply [JD Drew]’s a boring player on a boring team during a fairly boring season.”

He’s wrong. Here’s why.

First off, I will concede that JD Drew can be an infuriating player at times. Not many people would decide literally five minutes before the game that they were not going to play because their leg was a bit sore. Also, not many would, when at bat, watch his teammate steal home plate (in your home stadium, against the New York Yankees) and not even crack a smile.

He doesn’t show emotion, he just goes about his business. His face wears the same nonchalant look when he hits a grand slam in the ALCS as it does when he strikes out looking. Again.

So, maybe he is dull. But who else on the 2010 Red Sox is? Adrian Beltré has taken it upon himself to take out as many of his fellow Sox as possible, and has carved out a niche in proposing to his home runs.

OK, the two players who made their Boston debut alongside him, Mike Cameron and Marco Scutaro aren’t the most exciting or dramatic players.

Scutaro hasn’t been electrifying, but he has been vital as a leadoff guy since Jacoby Ellsbury was Beltréd on April 11.

Cameron has been poor—especially in the field, which has surprised most people, not least those who spent the offseason bleating about UZR.

Speaking of the outfield, some suggested before the season that the Red Sox re-sign Johnny Damon, and the outfield’s collapse has only reinforced their cries. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I would have tracked down Theo Epstein and battered him with sticks had he done that.

Victor Martinez, when he’s not nursing a broken thumb in the Sox’ favourite holiday spot, the DL, swings like a pendulum from “great hitter” to “I’m gonna throw my pitchers under the bus”.

Then there’s his backup, Jason Varitek. The captain’s injured, too, of course. But before he hurt his foot, he was one of this season’s better surprises. He may only have 105 plate appearances, but he has the highest slugging percentage of his career and had he continued at that level for the whole season, was on pace to reach a career-high in home runs.

His fellow veteran Big Papi is hitting—21 home runs, 64 RBIs, his highest wOBA since 2007—and is getting back to the status he enjoyed for so long in Boston: when he’s at the plate, you’re not leaving the sofa for another beer.

Those guys were the faces of the franchise for years, but these days, it’s Dustin Pedroia, and to a lesser extent Kevin Youkilis. Youk is on pace for career bests in OBP, SLG, wOBA and homers and perhaps most remarkably of all, he is still healthy. Touch wood.

As for Pedey, he has been what you expect. He plays every game like he’s a six-year-old being allowed out of the house for the first time in a month. He broke his foot, but that didn’t stop him taking grounders from his knees. He epitomises this year’s Red Sox. Scrappy, determined, and imbued with the just-won’t-die attitude of 2004.

The middle relief hasn’t been that boring, either. It’s just sucked.

At the back of the bullpen are Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon. Bard’s been as lights-out and blasé as a closer-in-waiting should be, but Pap has enjoyed a season-long game of the not at all boring How Close Can I Come to Blowing This One? It’s painful to watch, but it’s not dull.

But all of that pales in comparison to the people who have stepped up when the starters have gone down. Bill Hall has played left, centre, right, third, short, second and has even pitched a perfect inning.

Darnell McDonald had a game-tying home run and a walk-off single in his first game. Daniel Nava hit a grand slam on the first pitch of his Major League career.

They should be at Triple-A or in a platoon role on the Pirates, but they are largely responsible for Boston being just 5.5 games out of the Wild Card.

As for the season itself, it’s been exciting. Being stuck in third place all year has been difficult, but for the first time in a long time, the AL East is a race between three teams. It will never—it can never—mean as much or be as important as it did in 2004. Of course not.

But if one stops looking for that level of meaning behind the season, one can see that 2010 has been a damn good year so far. Five no-hitters, two perfect games, a player gunning for a Triple Crown, the Padres, Braves, Reds, and Rangers being in first place attest to that.

The 2010 Red Sox have been at times painfully mediocre, often exasperating and always injured. But they have at no point been boring, regardless of what anyone on the LeBron Network says.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

If you’re like me and have been distracted by the World Cup and LeBron-gate over these past few weeks, you were probably shocked to learn that baseball’s midway point is already upon us.

So to help you get into the swing of things as we head toward the playoffs, here are 50 Reasons To Be Excited For The Second Half of the season…

1. Major League Baseball Home Run Leader, Jose Bautista: So, are we sure George Mitchell caught everyone who was using steroids? Just asking.

2. The Hope That The Cardinals Make An Unexpected Run To The World Series: Just to see Tony LaRussa managing the 2011 All-Star game in Phoenix.

3. The Ongoing Texas Rangers Bankruptcy Trial: You knew things were bad when reports came out last week that Nolan Ryan was opening a lemonade stand.

4. David Wright and “The Situation”: I don’t care if the Mets end up making the playoffs or not. This video clip will always be the highlight of their 2010 season.

5. The White Sox Resurgence: Question: We always hear about Brian Cashman and Theo Epstein, but why doesn’t Kenny Williams ever get credit for being one of the elite GM’s in baseball? This roster has been made over more times than Joan Rivers’ face, yet here come the White Sox again, closing in on another division title.

6. The Pittsburgh Pirates: Going on 14 straight sub-.500 seasons and counting. Well, at least Pittsburgh still has that Roethlisberger guy… Umm, never mind.

7. The Summer of Strasburg: Strasburg has sold more jersey’s in six months than anyone ever has as a rookie. I don’t care what the experts say, he should have been on the All-Star team.

8. Cubs Pitcher Carlos Zambrano: I mean, at this point, I feel like it’d be cruel to pile on. So instead, just insert your own joke here.

9. Josh Johnson: No joke to make here, the dude is just filthy. My only wish is that I got to watch him pitch more often.

(Because of length, this is only PART of Aaron’s 50 Reasons To Be Excited For the Second Half of the Baseball Season. To read the REMAINDER, visit www.aarontorres-sports.com)

10. My First Trip to Camden Yards: Which is scheduled for next week. Anyone have any suggestions?

11. My First Trip to the New Yankee Stadium: Which is scheduled for sometime before the end of the summer. Anyone have tickets they want to give away?

12. The Bobby Cox Farewell Tour: Anyone want to chip in on a fruit basket?

13. Miguel Cabrera: If he wins the Triple Crown, does that mean we can’t make anymore jokes about last year’s .23 blood/alcohol content?

14. Baseball’s Continued Pitching Revolution: Which, just for the record, I pointed out about a full month before the rest of the national media.

15. Jon Lester’s Starts: He throws hard, throws strikes, is efficient, and that cutter is deadly. Watching him pitch has been my favorite part of this Red Sox season so far.

16. Daisuke Matsuzaka’s Starts: Take everything I just said about Lester’s starts and flip it around. I don’t care if he’s pitching relatively well this year. He’s slow, boring, and has set the game of baseball back 20 years. I hate the guy.

17. My Preseason Prop Bet That Mark Reynolds Would Lead the Majors in Home Runs: Let’s just say I got good odds. Let’s just say if he comes through, I’m buying everyone their own Mark Reynolds bobble head. Let’s just say nothing, since gambling isn’t really legal in this country.

18. The San Diego Padres Run Toward a Division Crown: Look on the bright side Padres fans: Even if they don’t make the playoffs, well, you still live in San Diego. Which means you’ve already got the rest of us beat.

19. Chan Ho Park’s Bowel Movements: Will he survive the entire second half without another case of explosive diarrhea? Stay tuned to find out.

20. Kendry Morales’ Broken Leg: I still haven’t decided who that broken leg was more damaging to: The Angels, or my fantasy team.

21. New Blue Jays Shortstop Yunel Escobar: Gotta love Buster Olney’s story from Thursday of when Escobar wished one of his Braves teammates a Happy Birthday, and the guy responded by saying that the only gift he wanted was for Escobar to play hard that night. Hmm…I wonder why he got traded?

22. The Patterson Brothers: Corey plays outfield for the Orioles. Eric was called up to the Red Sox before the All-Star break. Now we finally know what it would have been like if Chris Gwynn and Craig Griffey had been brothers.

23. Because Thanks To Baseball: We can finally stop talking about LeBron.

24. Corey Hart: I don’t care about the home runs. Doesn’t he just look like a fun guy to hang out with?

25. The All-Star Game’s Record-Low Ratings: Once again proving my theory that the only thing dying at a faster rate than baseball is the porn industry.

(This is just PART of Aaron’s 50 Reasons To Be Excited For the Remainder of the Baseball Season. To read the rest, please click here or visit him at www.aarontorres-sports.com.

Also, for Aaron’s take on all things sports, be sure to follow him on Twitter @Aaron_Torres or at Facebook.com/AaronTorresSports and download his APP for your iPhone or Android)

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be held tonight in Los Angeles. That means the 162-game season has reached its half.  Let’s review the AL East team performances so far this year.

New York Yankees (56-32)

The defending World Champions have the best record in baseball for the first half of the season.  Their offensive lineup has been very consistent, generating hits and runs day-in and day-out.  Unlike last year, when they started the season slowly, Joe Girardi’s team has an impressive 20-11 record against teams in the division and has won 21 of 28 series.

Offense

The Yankees are doing very well offensively.  Second baseman Robinson Cano, being on top in almost every offensive category (.336 AVG, 115 H, 51 R, 68 RBI, .556 SLG), is surely a strong candidate for this year’s AL MVP.

Alex Rodriguez hit 14 home runs to bring his career total to 597, seventh-best all-time.  Nick Swisher is getting on base constantly and Brett Gardner can run, ranking fifth in the league with 25 steals.  Mark Teixeira, hitting .254, may not repeat his number last year (.292), but there are still a good two-and-a-half months of baseball for him to catch up.

Pitching

Starting pitchers Phil Hughes, C.C. Sabathia, and Andy Pettitte have been pitching extremely well, combining to win 34 victories for the Yankees so far, and they all have 10 wins or more.  Javier Vazquez (7-7, 4.45) had a terrible season debut, but has been improving gradually.  40-year-old closer Mariano Rivera (20 saves) seems rejuvenated this season.

Tampa Bay Rays (54-34)

The Rays started the year strong, but they have cooled down since mid-June.  However, through last Sunday, they are only two games behind the Yankees, which proves that they can still keep up with the Yankees to compete for the playoff spot.

Offense

The offensive power relies heavily on the middle of their lineup: LF Carl Crawford, 1B Carlos Pena, and 3B Evan Longoria.

Nine years into his career, Crawford is sixth in the AL in hits this season (106), first in runs scored (70), and second in steals (31).  Clean-up hitter Pena is eighth in home runs with 18 and walks tied for third with 51 walks.  With Evan Longoria, they combine to score 117 runs, almost 38 percent of the team total in first half of the year.

Pitching

All-Star starting pitcher David Price and Matt Garza lead the Rays pitching rotation. Price has an impressive 12-4 record with a 2.42 ERA and 1.20 WHIP.  His fastball can reach 97 mph consistently.  He and Garza (10-5) are the only 10-game winners on the team. Third-best goes to James Shields (7-9).  Besides, no Rays starter has more than 10 losses (Wade Davies has nine).  Closer Rafael Soriano has done a good job with 33 saves and just one blown save.  He can also be seen in All-Star Game in Anaheim.

Boston Red Sox (51-37)

The Red Sox had a slow start from the beginning of Opening Day. People seemingly believed it would be a forgotten season for the team.  While they were talking mostly about the race between the Yankees and the Rays, Terry Francona’s team is back in the playoff race.

However, luck is not on their side.

The lineup is infected with a massive number of injuries.  These injuries took immediate effect, as the Sox were swept by the Rays last week.

Offense

David Ortiz is one of the reasons why the Sox were not successful at the beginning of the year. He only hit .143 and with one home run in the month of April.

He’s caught up now with 18 home runs (tied for eighth in the AL) and the Sox rank second in total home runs with 118.  3B Adrian Beltre and SS Marco Scutaro consistently reach base with 107 and 101 hits respectively.  The third-best goes to 1B Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedrioa (86 each).

The Red Sox have six players on the 15-day DL: Captain, C Jason Varitek (foot), C Victor Martinez (thumb), 2B Dustin Pedroia (foot), Mike Lowell (hip), and OFs Jeremy Hermida (rib) and Jacoby Ellsbury (rib).  Catcher Kevin Cash was acquired to fill in the empty catcher spot for now.  The organization should be worried offensively and defensively to start the second half.

Pitching

Boston has a team ERA of 4.34 (fifth-worst in the league) and walks 314 opposing batters (fourth-worst).

To contend in AL East, they need to post better numbers, especially from starting pitching.  Daisuke Matsuzaka has not been very consistent.  Besides knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (5.22), John Lackey has the worst ERA (4.78) on the team. His numbers seem to decline year by year.

Jon Lester (11-3) and injured Clay Buchholz (10-4) are the only 10-game winners.  Other injury casualties include SP Josh Beckett (lower back spasm) and reliever Manny Delcarmen (right forearm). 

Toronto Blue Jays (44-45)

Who would have thought that the Jays could lead the Major Leagues in home runs?  Out of Toronto’s 404 runs scored, 136 of them were caused by home runs—the best in baseball.  However, they will not be a real threat in AL East.  Their sub-.500 record is just not good enough to compete with the three big guns in the division.

Offense

Eight Blue Jays already have 10 home runs or more: 3B/RF Jose Bautista (24), CF Vernon Wells (19), SS Alex Gonzalez (17), C John Buck (13), 2B Aaron Hill (12), LF/DH Adam Lind (12), 1B Lyle Overbay (10), and 3B Edwin Encarnacion (10).

But the home run is the sole offensive category that is impressive.  The team only hits .240 collectively, fourth-worst in the majors, and only has an on-base percentage of .306.  They also have the third-worst batting average with runners in scoring position (.240).  These figures explain why the Jays are barely a .500 ball club.

Pitching

With the departure of the “Doc,” Roy Halladay, manager Cito Gaston cannot find a true ace.  Brett Cecil leads the team with eight wins, the most among starting pitchers.  Shaun Marcum (7-4) has the best starter ERA (3.44). He is currently injured (elbow inflammation), and will be back after the All-Star break. 

Baltimore Orioles (29-59)

No one would expect Orioles to escape out of the cellar.

Although mathematically possible, they still have 78 games to play to get out of the bottom of the division.  Chances are it will not happen.  Thirty games under .500 is sad.  The firing of manager Dave Tremblay in June was appropriate, but the organization has yet to find a long-term replacement to lead the team.

Offense

Losing star second baseman Brian Roberts at the beginning of the season to the 60-day DL (herniated disc in lower back) was crucial to Orioles’ failure.  The team seemed to lose direction from the start.  Its offense mainly comes from RF Nick Markakis, leader in team avg (.308), and CF Adam Jones who has 14 home runs (tied with 1B Ty Wigginton for team lead) and scored 44 runs (most on the team).

Pitching

Bad pitching will make you lose games.  Ask the Orioles if you don’t believe me.

No Oriole starting pitcher has more than five wins.  David Hernandez’s four victories is a team-high.  The ace, Kevin Millwood, is injured, and had horrible first half (2-8, 5.77 ERA, 1.58 WHIP).

The rotation also consists of veteran Jeremy Guthrie (3-10, 4.77), Brad Bergesen (3-6, 6.40), Brian Matusz (3-9, 4.77), and rookie Jake Arrieta (3-2, 4.38).  A consolation prize belongs to closer Alfredo Simon (2-1, 13 saves, 3.24 ERA), as the management seems to have found a stable reliever to close games.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Last week was filled with laser shows from coast to coast. There were 14 players who hit three or more home runs last week. There were a lot of hot streaks going on. But these few players stood out as the studs of Week 12.

1) 2B Dustin Pedroia Bos

Boston’s scrappy second baseman went 6-for-13 with three home runs, five RBI, four walks, and finished last week with a .462 AVG.

Pedroia had the game of his career when he was 5-for-5 with three bombs, pushed five us teammates across the dish, and scored four runs on Thursday night against the Rockies.

Pedroia was placed on the disabled list with a displaced fracture in his foot as a result of a foul ball the following night. He will likely miss six weeks.

The DL placement is a huge disappointment to fantasy owners as Pedroia was playing fantasticly in recent weeks.

Fantasy owners will ride out the DL and pick up a temporary replacement at second base.

Pedroia is hitting .292 with 41 RBI for the season.

2) OF Justin Upton Ari

The Arizona outfielder was 12-for-21 with three home runs, five RBI, four walks, one stolen base, and finished last week with a .571 AVG.

Upton has had issues with strike outs but his 13 home runs and 11 stolen bases almost make you forget about it.

His spot in the seventh hole has helped him streak and raise his overall average.

Fantasy owners who have stuck it out with Upton could use this hot streak and sell high.

Upton is hitting .271 with 39 RBI for the season.

3) 3B David Wright NYM

The popular New York Mets third baseman was 11-for-22 with two home runs, eight RBI, four walks, one stolen base, and finished last week with a .500 AVG.

He is having another fantastic season making fantasy owners everywhere smile.

Wright is hitting .303 with 61 RBI for the season.

4) OF Jay Bruce Cin

The Cincinnati outfielder was 10-for-20 with three home runs, four RBI, two walks, and finished last week with a .500 AVG.

Bruce has seen a slight increase in ownership and could be a nice free agent pick up if he is available in your league.

Bruce has a .282 AVG with 34 RBI for the season.

5) 2B Rickie Weeks Mil

The Brewers second baseman was 10-for-23 with three home runs, seven RBI, three walks, and finished last week with a .435 AVG.

Weeks tend to streak and follow it up with a slump. Take advantage of the latest explosion of production and sell-high with this hot streak on full steam.

His fantasy ownership increase slightly this past week.

Weeks is hitting .274, 45 RBI, and 13 HR for the season.

6) OF Vernon Wells Tor

The Toronto outfielder was 9-for-21 with three home runs, five RBI, two walks, 1 stolen base and finished last week with a .429 AVG.

Wells is on fire after having a terrible slump in the first part of June.

Wells hit two into the stands and garnered three RBI in Thursday’s game against the Cardinals.

This is a great opportunity to sell high and fill some holes on your fantasy team if you already have some power in your bats.

Wells is sporting a .288 AVG, 47 RBI, and 19 home runs for the season.

7) 3B Michael Young Tex

The Texas third baseman was 10-for-25 with three home runs, seven RBI, two walks, and finished last week with a .400 AVG.

Young doesn’t seem to grab the attention of the fantasy world as much as he should. He is one of the most reliable corner infielders in the game today.

Young is having an outstanding season with 11 HR, 51 RBI and a .316 AVG.

8) OF Carlos Quentin CWS

The White Sox outfielder was 7-for-18 with four home runs, 11 RBI, two walks, and finished last week with a .389 AVG.

Quentin has had five bombs in the last handful of at-bats. If he keeps up this pace he could have nearly 30 home runs for the season.

Take this surge of production by him to make a deal. Distract doubters who are fixated on his average by pointing out his power numbers.

Fantasy owners dropped Quentin like a bad habit a few weeks back. His recent hot streak however has brought a lot of them back as his ownership increased by up to 30% in several leagues.

His season average is terrible as it sits at .233.

9) 3B Alex Rodriguez NYY

The movie star aura that surrounds the controversial star often over shadows his superior baseball play. From the incident with Dallas Braden to his fight with Jason Varitek, A-Rod is always news.

The Yankees third baseman went 8-for-21, three home runs, 10 RBI, five walks, and finished up last week with a .381 AVG.

Rodriguez is hitting .303 with 54 RBI and 11 home runs for the season.

10) OF Josh Hamilton Tex

The Texas outfielder went 10-for-22 with two home runs, five RBI, one walk, one stolen base and finished the week with a .455 AVG.

Hamilton is having a stellar season with .346 AVG and 18 home runs for the season.

Honorable Mention*

3B Miguel Tejada Bal 13/27, 5 R, 1 HR, 1 XBH, 7 RBI, .481 AVG

SS Elvis Andrus Tex 11/24, 5 R, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 2 SB, .458 AVG

OF Alfonso Soriano ChC 8/18, 3 R, 1 HR, 4 XBH, 1 RBI, 3 BB, .444 AVG

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

This article should be called Tulowitzki Two for obvious reasons. For starters, one of the top three second baseman just landed on the DL with a broken foot.

Second, this position, like shortstop, has very few elite players on top, and then a tremendous drop-off in talent and statistical production. It’s important to remember that replacing this kind of player for the long run is a difficult task.

So let’s approach this a little differently than we did with Tulo because it doesn’t sound like Pedroia will be out as long. What we want to find here, in not so many words, is rent-a-player to fill the void of Pedroia’s absence. I’ve done the research as usual, you make the choice and take credit for all the success.

Here is a look at what we lost, what we need to replace, and a base to build from:

Dustin Pedroia (Season): 52 Runs- 12 HR- 41 RBI- 8 SBs- .292 BA (295 AB)
(Month): 19 Runs – 4 HR – 16 RBI – 6 SB – .330 BA (103 AB)

The following players can be found on your free agent/waiver wire and will be welcome additions to your battered lineup: (Statistics for the past 30 days displayed)

Begin Slideshow

Prior to Wednesday night’s game in Colorado, Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon had a couple of noteworthy “rough outings” this year—both of which came against the New York Yankees.

The first came in the third game of the year when he surrendered a game-winning home run to center fielder Curtis Granderson. The other came last month in the Bronx when he surrendered a pair of ninth inning, two-run home runs to third baseman Alex Rodriguez and right fielder Marcus Thames that turned what would have been a 9-7 Red Sox victory into a bitter 11-7 defeat.

Some members of Red Sox Nation have used the two outings as a basis for claims that Pappy has lost his mojo, and suggesting the front office should unload their enigmatic right-hander. After all, fireballer Daniel Bard is the organization’s closer-in-waiting, isn’t he?

The truth of the matter is that Papelbon had made a total of 28 appearances prior to Wednesday’s game, allowing an earned run in only five of those outings (opponents scored unearned runs off him in two other games). He had recorded 16 saves and had only one blown save (the May ballgame against the Yankees). Aside from the two outings against the Yankees, he had allowed three earned runs in his 26 other appearances (27.1 IP) for an ERA of just under 1.00 in those other contests.

So what are we to make of his back-to-back implosions in Denver this week?

In his entire career as a reliever, he had allowed two home runs in an outing only once—the May 17 game against New York. It was the same night he allowed the only walk-off home run of his career.

On Wednesday night, he added to each of those totals by surrendering two home runs, the second of which was a walk-off by Jason Giambi. And let’s be honest folks, he came darned close to allowing another walk-off in last night’s contest after surrendering a game-tying, two-run single to right fielder Brad Hawpe. He was taken to the deepest part of the ballpark by left fielder Seth Smith, whose fly ball was caught by center fielder Darnell McDonald with his back against the wall.

He has lost four games and is sporting a 3.98 ERA as we eat breakfast this morning. So it seems fair to ask: Is there something wrong with Pappy?

Thanks to Dustin Pedroia, Pappy’s second meltdown in as many nights did not result in an lose for his team. The Red Sox diminutive second baseman went five-for-five and belted three home runs in the game, including a two-run shot off one-time closer Huston Street in the tenth that delivered a much-needed 13-11 victory. He knocked in five runs, scored four times, and reached base a sixth time via a walk.

The win averted a three-game sweep at the hands of the Rockies.

It was the first three-homer game of Pedroia’s life.

Afterwards, Pedroia said, “I’ve been feeling good at the plate lately, been seeing the ball good, hitting the ball all over the place. When you feel good, the only thing is you’ve got to get a good pitch to hit. Tonight, I got good pitches to hit and I didn’t miss them.”

The teams combined for 24 runs on 33 hits, using a total of 14 pitchers in a game that lasted four hours and 48 minutes.

The Sox got off to a bad start in this one as Daisuke Matsuzaka, activated from the DL earlier in the day, had trouble finding the plate and allowed two runs before retiring a batter. But Dice-K regained his composure and retired three straight batters with two runs in and the bases loaded in the first to escape further damage. He settled down thereafter and kept the Rockies off the scoreboard as his teammates rallied to take a 6-2 lead behind Pedroia and Adrian Beltre, who had three hits, including his 11th home run, and drove in three runs.

But once Matsuzaka was pulled from the game, the bullpen couldn’t make the lead hold up as the Rockies rallied for six runs in the sixth to reclaim an 8-6 lead. Third baseman Ian Stewart and first baseman Todd Helton each had a two-run single in the inning.

Colorado’s bullpen didn’t fare much better, giving the lead right back in a three-run seventh. Jason Varitek had the big blow with a two-run double off Manny Corpas. Pedroia added a two-run homer off righty Rafael Betancourt in the eighth to give the Sox an 11-8 lead. But the combination of Scott Atchison and Bard gave one back in the eighth inning, and Pappy surrendered the lead in the ninth, thus setting the stage for Pedroia’s heroics.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

A game for the ages was spoiled by a 10th inning moon shot home run off the bat of Dustin Pedroia, his third home run of the game.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

For many fans of America’s pastime having an insight into the thoughts and daily lives of the players is highly coveted.

Knowing what Derek Jeter had for breakfast would make Brooklyn housewives feel as though they were in his Trump Tower kitchen.

Listening to Albert Pujols buy movie tickets might make the entire midwest stand stiller than it already stands.

These days many professional athletes tweet or otherwise offer up such personal thoughts, though they often come across as a little forced or disappointing.

Ron Artest actually befriends fans through twitter and recently bought two of them a pair of Finals tickets worth $18,000.

Yet we haven’t always been so connected. Imagine what it would be like to hear your favorite players’ thoughts on draft day.

Imagine that they tweeted and you could have known…

Here are 15 tweets I think draft-day participants might have tweeted if they could have.

Begin Slideshow

Albert Pujols. Joe Mauer. Nomar Garciaparra. You probably think of them as tough outs. Grinders. And you don’t think of them as whiffers.

Same with the entire Yankee, Red Sox, and Ray lineups. The American League East certainly seems to work the count, and pitchers don’t exactly rack up strikeouts against them.

Yet, when it comes to striking out, these guys deserve nothing more than honorable mentions.

From T-ball to Little League and Single A to The Show, striking out is a hitter’s worst nightmare. Okay, T-ballers don’t fan much—one hopes—but at every other level, striking out remains the pits of batting.

Head hung in shame, muttering to himself, the whiffer mopes back to a dugout indifferent to his return. No fist knocks or masculine slaps on the rear. Other players keep their eyes fixed on the field.

Strikeouts are largely, justifiably treated with such disdain, for they produce nothing. Every 12-year-old travel leaguer knows that when the ball is put in play, good things can happen.

Aside from occasionally wearing down a pitcher on a 15-pitch punchout, a hitter who fans has exchanged his out for absolutely nothing. And according to Billy Beane, this game of baseball is governed by outs.

Consequently, not striking out is nearly as valuable as any other tangible contribution a player can make.

The average strikeout rate, even among strong Major-League hitters is in the neighborhood of 20 percent. One out of every five plate appearances, hitters like Matt Holliday and Ryan Braun return to the dugout cursing at themselves.

Adam Dunn and Mark Bellhorn curse themselves a lot.

As the game has progressed through the years, hitters have largely struck out more—or pitchers have done them in more depending on your perspective.

Boston’s Tris Speaker is probably the all-time greatest hitter with the lowest strikeout rate. Speaker hit a career .345/.428/.500 with an incredible 2.8 K%.

Nearly as impressive were old-time ballplayers like Ty Cobb, Ross Barnes, Cal McVey, Joe Jackson, and Willie Keeler, but these guys played about a century ago.

Who’s been good recently? Who has been the best recently?

Guys like Mauer (.327 AVG / 11.5 K%), Pujols (.332 AVG / 11.2 K%), and Garciaparra (.313 AVG / 9.9 K%) are good, but really these guys don’t come close to the best of the past 25 years.

Here are the top 10 most difficult hitters to punch out.

Begin Slideshow

You may have heard some rumblings about this Stephen Strasburg guy. Allegedly, he’s pretty good.

Check that: he must be good, as usually the only time a Washington National warrants media attention is in relation to a comedy of errors (cough, cough, Nyjer Morgan , cough, cough).

But from some of the trade proposals I’ve viewed in retaining Strasburg’s services, you would think this guy was the mutant lovechild of Sandy Koufax and Walter Johnson .

Make no mistake, Strasburg’s stats in the minors have been ridiculous (no earned runs in 18.1 innings at the AAA level, 0.89 ERA in eight minor league starts) thus far.

Yet, questions surround the status of the 2009 No. 1 overall pick.

For starters, while rumors and speculation abound, an official debut date for Strasburg has not been indicated by the Major League club.

Another hurdle is Strasburg’s monitored pitch and inning count. Considering Washington invested $15.1 million in his right arm, chances are a fairly-low workload will be non-negotiable.

Additionally, Strasburg’s opposition will be quite formidable, as the NL East has been the most competitive division in baseball in 2010. Yet these influences seem to be lost on the general fantasy public, as stalwarts such as Miguel Cabrera and Evan Longoria have been offered in exchange for young master Strasburg.

Which is why if you own the rights to Strasburg, trade him. Now.

Strasburg has already logged 40 innings this season. The earliest projections have Strasburg in the Washington rotation around June 5, meaning the San Diego State product will make one, possibly two more appearances in the minors.

Using fellow former No. 1 overall David Price ‘s 2009 campaign as a comparison (162.2 innings between AAA and MLB), Strasburg will probably appear in 110 innings or less the remainder of the season. Not exactly the allotment time a fantasy owner strives for from a supposed anchor of a staff.

The Cabrera and Longoria examples were extreme, but it’s not unfathomable that a second or third round selection (think Justin Upton or Robinson Cano ) will be presented in a trade for Strasburg.

Unless your rotation is depleted to the point where you are plugging in the likes of Brian Bannister and Aaron Cook , ship out Strasburg while his demand is high. You may not get the same enjoyment following an Upton or Cano, but your fantasy team will be better off for it.

Start ’em: Edwin Encarnacion , Blue Jays. Edwin had quite the series in Arizona,smacking five homers in 11 at-bats, including a three-run HR outburst on Friday. In his first six games since coming off the DL, Encarnacion has 11 RBI.

Sit ’em: B.J. Upton , Rays. Upton has four hits in his last 26 ABs, and is hitting a mere .213 on the season. With Desmond Jennings, a consensus Top Five prospect in baseball, waiting in the wings in Triple-A Durham, Upton may be running out of time to fulfill his promise that made him the second overall pick in the 2002 Draft.

Fantasy Flashback: 1885 John Clarkson . In 1885, John Clarkson started 70 games for the Chicago White Stockings , and in 68 of these contests, threw a complete game.

To give that some context, in 2009 National League pitching staffs compiled 76 complete games COMBINED. Other noteworthy Clarkson achievements in ’85: 53 wins, 623 innings, a 1.85 ERA, and a wicked handlebar mustache.

Waiver Wire Watch: For those of you looking to drop an under-performing player, make your first free-agent pick up a player currently on the DL.

Most leagues have a roster spot for those on the injured list, and by picking up and stashing someone like Jair Jurrjens , you’ll have possible trade material down the line. Furthermore, you can select another player who can contribute immediately, thereby allowing you to pick up two players for the price of one.

Rookie Review: Jaime Garcia, Cardinals. The St. Louis left-hander is 4-2 with a 1.28 ERA in ’10. Garcia has also posted a good K/9IP, with 42 strikeouts in 49.1 innings.

And since we’re on the subject of the Cardinals, has Tony La Russa aged in the last 30 years? I swear, the man is the real-life incarnation of Richard Alpert from “Lost .”

Think I’m full of it?

Here’s La Russa with Chicago circa late 1970s, La Russa with Oakland around 1988, and Tony in the present day .

And in memorial of the series finale of “Lost “, here are my theories to explain this ageless phenomenon.

1) He’s on the same steroid cycles as his Oakland teams from the late ’80s.

2) He a charter member of the Mike Krzyzewski Hair Coloring Club.

3) He’s on the same steroid cycles as his St. Louis teams from the late ’90s.

4) His exposure and proximity towards animals has somehow left him with a superhero-like power against Father Time.

The Week in Jonathon Broxton: Another solid week for the Ox, picking up three more saves to bring his yearly total to ten.

While he did allow a run in three innings of work (proving that no one is perfect), he fanned six batters who had the misfortune of battling the great Brox-bino (thanks to reader Sam for the nickname suggestion after last week’s Babe Ruth /Broxton comparison).

Trade Talk: This is usually the time of the year when owners start to lose favor with underachieving All-Stars. You can possibly capitalize on this opportunity by getting a proven player like Prince Fielder for 85 cents on the dollar.

Don’t offend a fellow owner with an offer like Jorge Cantu for Mark Teixeira , but make it enticing enough where you can pull of a potentially season-swinging steal.

Big League Chew Player of the Week: Ben Zobrist , Rays. The Zorilla has been kicking ass and taking names. Zobrist is 13 for his last 23 with two HRs (doubling as his first two bombs of the season) and seven RBI, helping Tampa Bay win seven of their last eight.

Spit Your Tobacco at: Dustin Pedroia , Red Sox. The 2008 AL MVP is hitting .080 in his last six games for Boston.

You’d think Nyjer Morgan would have this award wrapped up after his hissy-fit contributed to an inside-the-park home run on Saturday, but let’s be honest: it’s Nyjer Morgan.

The only way a dude hitting .259 with the Nationals is getting on TV is with a stunt like that, so if anything, Fantasy Fever applauds Morgan for getting his 15 minutes of fame.

That’s it for today. And in honor of my awkward interaction with a police officer this weekend, our “Dumb and Dumber” Quote of the Week:

Officer: Pullover!

Harry: (showing his sweater) No, it’s a cardigan, but thanks for noticing!

Until next week.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com