The Boston Red Sox: MLB's best team. Celtics in 5?

[Rock Strongo]

18-7

Some very smart poster saw this coming

 

[Rock Strongo]

I go off on Friday on the uselessness of david ross's bat

he hits 2 bombs the next day

ortiz is back

.516 BA
1.400 OPS
OPS+ 272
2 HR
11 RBI

 

[Rock Strongo]

i should have kept my mouth shut on the C's

even tho they eeked out an OT win, they played terribly yet again in the 2nd half

melo went 10-342 from the field for his 36 selfish points

2 assists

knicks are just the better team...celtics without rondo cant put together 4 quartersd

 

[Rock Strongo]

why the fuck do i go into work so early?

 

[Rock Strongo]

Bruins get the 4 seed and draw the leafs, as i had hoped

Boston the city of toronto

good luck with the caps, nasty

 

[bksballer89]

How bout those Blue Jays?

 

[Rock Strongo]

How bout those Blue Jays?

let me see

*checks standings*

still irrelevant

 

[Rock Strongo]

Red Sox, David Ortiz get high marks in April - ESPN

April grades: A+ for Red Sox, Big Papi

 

[Rock Strongo]

Before the season began, everyone talked about how the AL East would be the crazy island of division races, but the consensus was the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays were the two best teams and the other three would be left fighting for wild-card scraps.

Only four of ESPN's 43 baseball contributors picked the Red Sox to even make the playoffs. I was one. As we close in on the end of April, the Red Sox own baseball's best record and are doing it in impressive fashion: 18-7, including 11-5 at home and 7-2 on the road; third in the AL in runs; third in fewest runs allowed; owners of the best run differential in the majors at +40.

[+] Enlarge
Winslow Townson/USA TODAY SportsDavid Ortiz's return from the DL has sparked the Boston Red Sox to a hot April and baseball's best record.

Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz have rightfully received a lot of the credit for going a combined 9-0 in 10 starts and allowing just 13 runs. Free agent Mike Napoli is second in the majors with 27 RBIs. Daniel Nava has hit himself into more playing time with a .310 average, four homers and 16 RBIs. Jacoby Ellsbury is healthy and providing energy at the top of order. John Lackey even won on Sunday, so you know things are going well.

But if one player best sums up Boston's April, it's David Ortiz, the heart and soul of the franchise. I imagine Big Papi will get old one of these years. Maybe the bat speed will suddenly slow and he'll turn into that most discouraging of sights: the aging slugger who can no longer hit. That's not going to happen in 2013. In eight games since returning from the DL, Papi has come back with a vengeance by hitting .516 with seven extra-base hits and 11 RBIs. Eight of his 16 hits have gone to left field as he has beat the shift teams usually put on against him. Most importantly, the Sox are 7-1 in those games. With Ortiz in the cleanup spot, the Red Sox lineup looks complete: Speed with Ellsbury, on-base skills with Nava and Pedroia, Ortiz and Napoli in the middle. This lineup just beat the Astros four straight times at home.

It's the kind of lineup that can win a division, especially if Will Middlebrooks and Stephen Drew start inflicting some damage from the bottom of the order. As I hand out some April grades, the Red Sox and Big Papi both earn an A+ for their inspiring start.

Here are some more April grades for the American League (we'll do the National League on Monday night), starting with some other newsworthy mentions from the AL East.

 

[Rock Strongo]

New York Yankees: A. Explain this: No Curtis Granderson, no Mark Teixeira, no Alex Rodriguez, no Derek Jeter ... and the Yankees are 15-9 and lead the AL in home runs. Robinson Cano has seven but Travis Hafner and Vernon Wells, acquired off the scrap heap pile known as "former stars," have each hit six. Meanwhile, Andy Pettitte, Hiroki Kuroda and Mariano Rivera continue to drink from that special supply of Hudson River water fed into the Yankee Stadium home clubhouse fountain of youth. The Yankees are, dare we say, a good story.

 

[Rock Strongo]

Toronto Blue Jays: F. Yes, Jose Reyes went down early, but that alone isn't an excuse for a team that has been outscored by 35 runs. They've been awful in every phase of the game, and last week there was a game where John Gibbons hit Rajai Davis and Munenori Kawasaki 1-2. Embarrassing. The Blue Jays are 9-17, a good reminder that April games matter just as much as games in September. The worst April record of last year's playoff teams was the A's at 11-13, so it's possible to recover from a slow start. But ask the Angels how hard it is to recover from a terrible start.

 

[Rock Strongo]

lackeys return was pretty awesome all things considered

got out of early trouble, settled down

lackey >>> chieng mieng dang wang

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Good morning. Before I bathe my beautiful being, I'd like you all to know that with the Astros and Oakland coming in, the NY Yankees will be in first place this time, one week from today

I'd like to thank the league for prolonging the Celtics agony with that ridiculous suspension of the leagues 6th man of the year

And a little tidbit. The toronto blue jays are 9.5 games out of first place.
The AAA Houston Astros are only 9

Lyle Overbay and Travis Hafner this weekends heroees. Must be the uniform

Talk to you fellas later

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

lackeys return was pretty awesome all things considered

got out of early trouble, settled down

lackey >>> chieng mieng dang wang

Houston isn't a major league team. I'll say the same after the Yankees dismantle them this week

 

[bravesfan]

The braves went 3-7 on their road trip, disappointing series against the Tigers. Big series with the Nats starts tonight.

 

[Rock Strongo]

Good morning. Before I bathe my beautiful being, I'd like you all to know that with the Astros and Oakland coming in, the NY Yankees will be in first place this time, one week from today

I'd like to thank the league for prolonging the Celtics agony with that ridiculous suspension of the leagues 6th man of the year

And a little tidbit. The toronto blue jays are 9.5 games out of first place.
The AAA Houston Astros are only 9

Lyle Overbay and Travis Hafner this weekends heroees. Must be the uniform

Talk to you fellas later

if it happens to a NY player, its ridiculous lol

dirt, he elbowed him, clearly

either way, celtics stole that game...

lets discuss baseballs best team, the red sox

 

[Rock Strongo]

Houston isn't a major league team. I'll say the same after the Yankees dismantle them this week

i agree, theyre terrible

but a wins a win...and the sox have 18

 

[Rock Strongo]

i am beyond thrilled with the patriots draft:

2013 Patriots Draft Picks

This is the list of the Patriots draft picks going into the 2013 NFL Draft:
Updated: April 27, 2013
2nd Round (#52 Overall) – Jamie Collins, OLB, Southern Miss
2nd Round (#59 Overall) – Aaron Dobson, WR, Marshall
3rd Round (#83 Overall) – Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers
3rd Round (#91 Overall) – Duron Harmon, SS, Rutgers
4th Round (#102 Overall) – Josh Boyce, WR, TCU
7th Round (#226 Overall) – Michael Buchanan, DE/OLB, Illinois
7th Round (#235 Overall) – Steve Beauharnais, LB, Rutgers
The Patriots have also added a large group of undrafted free agent prospects.
Picks traded away:
1st Round – (Vikings – 2013 Picks)
4th Round – (Bucs – Aqib Talib)
5th Round – (Redskins – Albert Haynesworth)
6th Round – (Bengals – Chad Ochocinco)
7th Round – (Bucs, through Vikings – LeGarrette Blount)

 

[Rock Strongo]

i am beyond thrilled with the patriots draft:

2013 Patriots Draft Picks

This is the list of the Patriots draft picks going into the 2013 NFL Draft:
Updated: April 27, 2013
2nd Round (#52 Overall) – Jamie Collins, OLB, Southern Miss
2nd Round (#59 Overall) – Aaron Dobson, WR, Marshall
3rd Round (#83 Overall) – Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers
3rd Round (#91 Overall) – Duron Harmon, SS, Rutgers
4th Round (#102 Overall) – Josh Boyce, WR, TCU
7th Round (#226 Overall) – Michael Buchanan, DE/OLB, Illinois
7th Round (#235 Overall) – Steve Beauharnais, LB, Rutgers
The Patriots have also added a large group of undrafted free agent prospects.
Picks traded away:
1st Round – (Vikings – 2013 Picks)
4th Round – (Bucs – Aqib Talib)
5th Round – (Redskins – Albert Haynesworth)
6th Round – (Bengals – Chad Ochocinco)
7th Round – (Bucs, through Vikings – LeGarrette Blount)

dobson out of marshall will pay dividends quickly

kid has the tools

 

[nynasty]

Bruins get the 4 seed and draw the leafs, as i had hoped

Boston the city of toronto

good luck with the caps, nasty

Gah. I wanted you guys.

Seems like they play the Caps every year.


Toronto/Montreal wouldv'e been pretty cool too.


At least the Isles will get destroyed by the Pens. That's something.