While there is some baseball tonight, the Boston Red Sox are among the teams that will begin play from the All-Star break on Friday night. With the injuries to the pitching staff right now, this is a good thing.
The Red Sox will begin the second half at 55-35, a far cry from the 2-10 start to the season. They’ve done it with the offense, some strong starting pitching and of course great outings from the bullpen. As we’ve seen when all things are clicking, this Red Sox team is a juggernaut.
Yet the New York Yankees are right in the thick of it as are the Tampa Bay Rays who the Red Sox will play for the next three games. The Yankees trail the Red Sox by one game while the Rays sit six games back. Against the Rays this season, the Red Sox are 2-3, including a 2-1 mark at Tropicana Field.
You almost didn’t want to see the All-Star break come for the local nine. They’ve won six straight games and are 9-1 in the month of July. But you know these guys needed the break to rest some of the nagging injuries. Hopefully in the next week or so, the Red Sox will be healthy and back to full strength.
But until then, the guys who continue to fill in admirably need to keep doing just that.
We’ll be back in a short while with the pitching matchups for the series with the Rays. But for now, enjoy the overnight links from the media.
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Kevin Youkilis remains the unnoticed All-Star [Alex Speier – WEEI.com]
Sox have gotten it half right [Boston Globe]
From here, sure to be tough going [Boston Globe]
Josh Beckett status questionable [Boston Herald]
Rough rotation reality [Boston Herald]
Daniel Bard sets up debate [Boston Herald]
Red Sox midseason report card [Boston Herald]
Francona criticizes All-Star Game [CSNNE.com]
After rocky start, Sox rebound in first half [CSNNE.com]
Red Sox will look elsewhere, within for help [CSNNE.com]
Terry Francona on The Big Show: Significance of All-Star Game has ‘run its course’ [Full Count]
Trade Deadline: Red Sox reportedly on Joakim Soria’s no-trade list [Full Count]
Red Sox Mailbag: Andre Ethier, Carlos Beltran Both Unrealistic, Expensive Trade Options [NESN.com]
Red Sox Mailbag: Coco Crisp’s Abilities in Center Field Will Likely Prevent Return to Boston [NESN.com]
Former Red Sox Reliever Manny Delcarmen Released by Texas Rangers’ Triple-A Team [NESN.com]
Make of this what you will [Projo Sox Blog]
How to improve the All-Star game? End it [Providence Journal]
Healthy pitching staff is Boston’s second half goal [Providence Journal]
Where the Red Sox go from here: the position players [Rob Bradford – WEEI.com]
For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE, ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.
