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August 7, 2007
Sean McAdam joins us from Anaheim for today's edition of projo SoxTalk. Click here to listen to the full audio file. The topics: Curt Schilling's first game back, Brandon Moss' difficult major-league debut, how the Sox will use Bobby Kielty, who is best primed for the playoffs in the American League (Sox fans will like this), and baseball's most cherished records.
Here are some excerpts from Sean's comments:
Schilling: "Certainly for six innings, with two runs, first time back on a major-league mound for about seven weeks, you have to look at that as a positive. He did end up making the mistake -- two actually -- in the seventh, hanging the splitter to Izturis and then giving up the double. I don't know if he was tired, but certainly a couple of mistakes on the same pitch late. But overall, given what he's been through and how long he's been sidelined, I think generally you would have to say there was more good than bad."
Kielty: "I don't think they envision him in the way that they might have used Jermaine Dye had they obtained him at the trade deadline. I think Kielty will play some, particularly against lefties -- he's been pretty tough against left-handed pitchers throughout his career -- he really will eventually literally and figuratively take the place of Wily Mo Pena. He'll be a guy who plays against some tough lefties that Drew has some trouble with. He's a good enough outfielder that he can come in for defensive purposes probably for any of the three -- whether it be Ramirez, Drew or Coco Crisp. He could be a bat off the bench in the late innings. ... He's more of a fourth outfielder, just a more versatile and more athletic one than Wily Mo Pena."
Which A.L. team is best positioned for the playoffs? "I have to think, given all their strengths, that the Red Sox are the team that probably is in a position to do the most damage in October. They have a deep enough starting rotation. Certainly the addition of Gagne has given them an even deeper bullpen in the back innings. I guess the concern would be the offense, which continues to sputter at times. But I think they're the most well-rounnded of contenders, and everybody else it seems has some strengths but also some obvious weaknesses."
Posted by Mike McDermott 
at 2:01 PM to McAdam
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Ken | August 7, 2007 12:55 PM link
ED VITA | August 7, 2007 1:30 PM link
The Sox may be the team too beat, but they're beating themselves. Thirty-five men left on base in the last three games is not getting it done. Yes, they are 2-1 in those three games, but the lack of clutch hitting will catch up to them and hurt them.