Lest We Forget

The Red Sox have one pitcher in the top 10 in ERA in the AL, Jon Lester, courtesy of his seven plus shutout innings last night.


SSSSSSSSSSSS IP WHIP K/BB W L ERA

Lester............... 132 1.31.. 2...... 8... 3... 3.20

Santana............ 130 1.22.. 3.1.... 8...7... 3.10


I won't claim that Jon Lester is the same pitcher as Santana, who has a much longer track record, and a salary in the stratosphere. But to think that the Sox contemplated trading Lester and other cornerstone young players for the high-priced spread, we have to say so far the economics (value in the broad sense )of the deal has worked out.

The Sox have a couple of other pitchers in the top 25 of ERA leaders, Tim Wakefield at 15 (3.69) and Josh Beckett 24 (3.98).

The Sox remain second in runs scored and sixth (3.82) in ERA.

Deadline deals: If all goes well, the Sox get the best deadline deal available, the return of David Ortiz, which in effect substitutes him for either Ellsbury or Crisp, neither exactly tearing it up lately. That gives the Sox potentially productive hitters from Pedroia, Ortiz, Manny, Drew, Lowell, and Youkilis, with the battle for the leadoff spot still likely to go to Ellsbury for now.

Anybody and everybody has to see how they are relentlessly pounding Ellsbury inside, making him prove he can deal with that hole.

No Dogs? While David Ortiz rehabs at Portland, 1B Lars Andersen and OF Josh Reddick move up from Lancaster, both with OPS over .900.