The Twins travel to Boston for a quick two game series having just swept the Angels to get their record back to even at 7-7. The Red Sox welcome the Twins for a quick two game series having just swept the Orioles to get their record back to even at 7-6. The Twins are 1-2 on the road (having only traveled to Chicago thus far), while the Red Sox are 5-2 at Fenway. The four game sweep of the Orioles worked wonders for fans that weren’t panicking, but were, perhaps, a tad concerned before the Orioles came to town. Among their concerns was the fact that David Ortiz wasn’t hitting for power (or at all). Before you get too worried that he’s due for an enormous series to right himself, he broke out a bit with a big day Monday with a couple extra base hits (why am I not relieved?).
The Sox have had some injury issues of late, they currently have Daisuke Matsuzaka, John Smoltz, Jed Lowrie, Julio Lugo, and Mark Kotsay all on the disabled list. Of course, a team like the Red Sox is built to withstand situations like this. Except that most of the people mentioned as potential replacement parts in that post are now injured themselves (Clay Buckholz, probably next in line for the rotation recently went on the minor league DL with a hamstring injury), so with their top two shortstops on the shelf they may be wearing thin in a couple places.
As if that wasn’t bad enough now people are threatening the Sox MVP second baseman. This, of course, has his roommates on edge a bit.
—PROBABLE PITCHERS—
Baker v. T. Wakefield
Wakefield has had one good start and one bad start this season. Last time out he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, saving an overworked bullpen and inspiring a whole bunch of tributes from fans that have been seeing him in a Sox uniform for a long time.
Liriano v. B. Penny
Penny has had one good start and one bad start this season. He got rocked by the Orioles last time out (the only bad pitching performance of the last weekend), but the Boston offense bailed him out so he has the somewhat nonsensical line of 1-0, 11.00 ERA so far this season.
Daneeka's Ghost 